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How old were you when you first started seriously thinking about money? For me, it was when I was eight, based on “The Money Tree” book that I “authored” for a third-grade assignment. Read more…

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have delivered eye-popping returns in 2020 and 2021. All kinds of crypto – including what started as a joke and meme, Dogecoin – are receiving heightened media attention as a result. The value of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies has risen sharply in past months. But Read more…

Gold is shiny and makes nice jewelry, but it doesn’t impress me as an investment. Read more…

There’s an important detail to pay attention to when comparing advisors: The way they get paid. Unfortunately, not all advisors operate by the same methods, and how an advisory firm generates revenues and compensates its employees is a critical factor in the quality and type of advice you receive. Read more…

You may have noticed that advisors go by many different professional titles, which are often followed by a trail of different three-letter acronyms representing special designations. They seem important—but not all titles and credentials are as valuable as they sound. Read more…

After years of inflation readings well below 2%, financial markets expect to see higher inflation in 2021. Read more…

The potential value of a relationship starts with the person who will be guiding your financial decisions. You’re looking for someone with deep knowledge and experience to back up their advice, and you want to gauge whether that advisor is a good fit for your family’s needs. Above all, you want Read more…

What is the top-heavy test? 401(k) plans must be tested annually to determine if they are top-heavy. The top-heavy test compares the account balances of “key employees” to those of “non-key employees.” If the sum of all key employee balances exceeds 60% of the total plan balance the plan is Read more…

Perhaps you’ve been told that you need a financial plan or you think you already have one. Either way, here are the essential sections a complete financial plan should cover. Many clients initially seek financial advice because they want help making smart investment decisions. But investments are Read more…

A productive working relationship with an advisor begins with trust and transparency. Even before you dive into the details of the advisor’s services, you want to understand key issues that reflect how they define and uphold their commitment to clients. This is true for any advisor, and is Read more…