31 Mar 2026

Retirement Planning: Spending, Pensions, and Inflation

When planning for retirement, several important factors determine whether your financial plan will work over the long term. Three of the most important areas people need to think about are understanding their spending, knowing how their pension works, and accounting for inflation over time. The following sections explore these topics in more detail. Retirement Planning: When You Haven’t Tracked Your Spending Planning for retirement is not a subject you dwell… Read More

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30 Mar 2026

Retirement Plan: Expenses to Consider (Including Often Overlooked Costs)

When planning for retirement, most people begin by estimating their regular monthly expenses such as housing, utilities, insurance, food, and transportation. But one of the most common issues I see when helping people plan their retirement income is that certain expenses are either underestimated or completely overlooked. Understanding both core retirement expenses and irregular or overlooked costs can help create a more realistic retirement spending plan. Retirement Plan: 10 Expenses… Read More

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29 Mar 2026

Peter Cottontail Makes A Lousy Financial Advisor!

Oh, I know he’s beloved by millions. And I can’t wait to bite off those chocolate bunny ears he will bring me on Sunday. But let’s face it, you wouldn’t want to get your financial advice from someone who puts all his eggs in one basket! You have probably heard that old adage, but do you know what it means? Portfolio Diversification Have you ever been in rush hour traffic… Read More

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27 Mar 2026

Retirement Income: Estimating How Much You Will Need

Use your current income as a starting point You have probably read financial press articles that discuss desired annual retirement income as a percentage of your current income. Depending on the article, that percentage could be anywhere from 60 to 90 percent, or even more. The appeal of this approach lies in its simplicity, and the fact that there’s a fairly common-sense analysis underlying it: Your current income sustains your… Read More

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26 Mar 2026

Financial Records: What to Keep, Where to Keep, and How Long

Keeping your financial records organized is an important part of managing your personal finances.  Whether it’s a paid personal property tax receipt or a W-2 to correct a conflict with Social Security records, there may be times when you need to locate a financial record or document–and you’ll need to locate it quickly. By taking the time to declutter and organize your financial records, you’ll be able to find what you need when you… Read More

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23 Mar 2026

What is a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor?

When I first became a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor, I heard, more than a few times, “Congratulations… what is that?”  It wasn’t surprising, because NAPFA is a small but important group. What is NAPFA? The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a group of professional financial advisors who advise on a Fee-Only basis, meaning no commissions or incentives.  This way, the client pays for the advice (rather than the… Read More

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21 Mar 2026

Estate Planning

By definition, estate planning is a process designed to help you manage and preserve your assets while you are alive, and to conserve and control their distribution after your death according to your goals and objectives. But what estate planning means to you specifically depends on who you are. Your age, health, wealth, lifestyle, life stage, goals, and many other factors determine your particular estate planning needs. For example, you… Read More

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19 Mar 2026

Long Term Care Planning: More Than Just Insurance

My financial planning engagements are very detailed, especially for clients who are nearing retirement.  I find that when talking with colleagues at conferences and continuing education meetings, many of them do not discuss how Medicare works, the potential cost of healthcare in retirement, or even potential long-term care needs.  I know that the clients who come to me often come to me with misconceptions about these items.  Which is understandable, since… Read More

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17 Mar 2026

Bonds: How do They Work?

Investing in Bonds Bonds may not be as glamorous as stocks or commodities, but they are a significant component of most investment portfolios. Bonds are traded in huge volumes every day, but their full usefulness is often underappreciated and underestimated. Why invest in bonds? Bonds can help diversify your investment portfolio. Interest payments from bonds can act as a hedge against the relative volatility of stocks, real estate, or precious… Read More

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16 Mar 2026

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs): What They Are, How to Calculate Them, and Penalties for Missing Them

Sometimes Uncle Sam can be a really nice guy. He lets you save money in tax-deferred accounts such as IRAs, 401(k)s, and the like. You get to watch that money grow over the years, accumulating in value, while not paying taxes on the gain. Uncle Sam just waits patiently on the sidelines, not collecting taxes on the earnings. However, Uncle Sam isn’t going to wait forever, and that is where… Read More

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