Wealth Management | Plancorp | Financial Planning (7)

Disability Insurance: The Missing Piece in Your Financial Plan

Five years ago when my wife and I were expecting our first child, I was quick to get term life insurance policies in place. It wasn’t until last month, however, that I protected my human capital from disability. Read more…

Fees Matter

When I look through the funds that investors use – be it an individual, institution, or 401(k) plan – I’m always amazed by the high fund expenses. Read more…

Thinking About Markets Like Piles of Sand

The idea of complex adaptive systems might sound overwhelming, but an experiment conducted by physicist Per Bak makes the concept easier to understand. Read more…

In the Race to Zero Fees, Transparency Loses

The financial services industry is no stranger to competition, and you’ve likely heard of its latest game: the race to zero fees. On the surface, providing services at no cost sounds like another leap forward in disrupting outdated business models, but it’s not that simple. All too often, no cost Read more…

Your Move: The Financial "Game of Life"

The beginning of a year is a time to reflect on the past and set goals for the future. Maybe your 2019 goals involve eating healthier and getting more exercise. Maybe you want to start reading more or spending more time with family. Maybe you’ve set some financial goals – like paying off debt, Read more…

Market Correction Update

Stock markets have been choppy lately, with the S&P 500 off more than 10% from its highs. A decline of this nature is broadly labeled as a “correction.” While it’s never fun to see your portfolio take a hit, losses are a normal part of investing. During bull markets since 1945, the S&P 500 has Read more…

The Era of RIAs

In a world where the DOL Fiduciary Rule is presumed dead- and we have different regulatory bodies, primarily the SEC, coming in with new rules- transparency has become paramount. Read more…

Financial Confidence Boost: Your Financial Plan

A financial plan is more than just a budget or insurance policy. It is the actions you need to take to reach your financial goals (think: helping fund your daughter’s college tuition or buying that second home on the lake). Your financial plan is unique, but to ensure confidence in the planning you Read more…

Savings Rate or Rate of Return? How to Focus Your Attention for Long-Term Financial Success

As a young professional, one of the best pieces of advice I received was to save and invest 15% of my salary for my future. Read more…

How Markets Work

My father-in-law, Tom, is the king of buying and selling used cars. Every two or three years he sells his car and buys another used car. And if he doesn’t come out ahead every time, he seems to at least break even. Read more…