Thoughts

At some level, financial planning connects to everything else in life. These posts explore those intersections.

$6,000 Apple Watch?

That’s right. I almost got tricked into spending $6,000 on Apple Watch. Ironically, I wasn’t even shopping for one. Here’s how it happened.

Five Questions

What would a good day look like?” That’s one of five questions that Atul Gawande thinks people facing a terminal illness should be asked in the early stages of their treatment.

What's your barometer?

Social media is our generation’s greatest addiction. Not only are we addicted to the mindless minutiae of repeatedly checking our accounts, but we also seem to be increasingly measuring our own happiness by what others are posting on our News Feeds.

Price vs. Cost

One of the most frequent questions that comes up during introductory meetings with prospective clients is How much does this cost?” Rightfully so.

The Right Tools

When my wife and I started looking for houses last spring, we met our friend and realtor for coffee to talk about our list of preferred areas and must-haves for the house. As we were wrapping up, Laura remembered one thing that we’d failed to tell him, which was pretty high on our list: big, old trees.

Why Independence Matters

If a financial planner is tethered to a limited product list or an unequal compensation arrangement, how can their advice be in the best interest of the client all the time?

19 Questions

19 questions that consumers should ask any financial professional they are considering hiring, answered.

Getting Mad at the Weatherman

If your financial adviser has an opinion on which way the market is headed during the next week, month, or quarter, I highly suggest a brisk jog right out of the meeting.

Conversations About College

Graduation season is coming. It’s an exciting time if you’re a high school student. Maybe not so much if you’re the parent of a high school student.

Curb Your Spending

Whether it’s summer vacation, back to school shopping, or the upcoming holiday season, it seems that it’s always easy to find an excuse to break away from the family budget. Given that we live in a world where we can now send money to people through text messaging, or buy just about anything with one click of the mouse, this makes sticking to a budget harder and harder for most families. Fortunately, there are several behaviors that can help curb those impulses to spend