The Life Planning 101 Podcast

Can You Give More Without It Costing More?

It is probably safe to assume that all of us have at one time or another been touched by, and wanted to contribute to, a good cause. And it is probably safe to assume that all of us have wished we could do more for that something that touched our heart. What if I told you that it is possible to do more and it may not cost you anything?...

Wealthy or Not...a Poor Credit Score Can Hurt You

Just recently I was speaking with one of my more affluent clients who wanted to lease a new vehicle and could not! Why? Her credit score was not high enough.
Whether you are wealthy or not,having a bad credit score can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars over your lifetime. Suppose two executives who have worked at the same company for the same amount...

How Do You Measure Your Wealth?

If you ‘Google’ this question, it results in all sorts of mathematical tools that tell you how you should add up your assets that you have acquired over your lifetime. However, if you read about half way down the first page of search results, something changes with the addition of the word “true.”  There is a perfect quote by...

Estate Planning for Blended Families

Maybe you have drawn up a will or even went to the extent to attend a seminar about something such as The 6 Things That Could Be Missing In Your Estate Plan and subsequently met with the firm who gave the presentation for a first and last meeting to set your plan in place. You probably even have a beautiful leather bounded binder with all of your estate planning papers secured inside as well as a list of the attorney and/or financial planner’s name address...

Are You Taking Your Financial Supplements?

Recently I was speaking with a client about how important it is to take preventative measures in regard to health - eating right, exercising and taking the right supplements. People are living longer than ever before, but that doesn’t mean we are living healthier than ever before, which can prove to be a double whammy. The same double whammy applies to...

Did Your Taxes Go Up?

Don’t feel alone. You don’t have to be a search engine whiz to discover that 77% of Americans saw their taxes increase in 2013 (the most recent tax data available). To add insult to injury, it hasn’t stopped therefor many of us. Itemized deductions are disappearing, we have two new taxes to fund Obamacare and increase Medicare support…

How Much is Too Much to Leave Your Kids?

This was a recent headline in a newsletter we read frequently called “Trust Advisor.” The article opened with the statement,“Imagine that you’re a self-made person with $100 million in assets. Do you leave it all to your children?”1
Okay… $100 million is a bit outrageous, but it did give me anew perspective. What if my estate was$100 million? Would this be too much to leave my kids? ... If “yes,” why would it be too much?...

Risk - What Can You Do About It?

Warren Buffet said, “Risk comes from not knowing what you’redoing.” Isn’t it interesting that the same could be said about “Fear?” Everyone has a slightly different relationship with risk. We are the sum total of our experiences or lack of experiences which have led us each to a precise point in life. Some of us thrive on risk. Some of us do everything we can to avoid risk.And the majority of us are somewhere in between this million mile range...

Do You Have Something to Retire "To"?

Our experiences over the last 26 years working with individuals who are in their last years of working, retiring, and reaching retirement have taught us more than you can imagine. But if you were to ask what the number one piece of advice we would give you from all of these experiences is, it wouldn't have anything to do with money. It would simply be to have something to retire to...

Your Digital Estate - You Really Can Take It With You

Have you ever thought about the information stored on your computer or other devices that someone would need to know about if you were suddenly incapacitated or no longer with us? I recently heard about a CPA in Wyoming that didn't. It took his family more than seven months to sort out the mess after his sudden death.And to add even more pain, it happened right in the...

Does Long Term Care Insurance Make Sense?

This is a major question facing our generation. It is expensive - and is becoming even more expensive. Just the thought of needing it is unpleasant and can evoke strong emotions. And at best it appears imperfect:Buying a plan that will only pay for a certain number of years and which might not be enough to protect your family. Trying to predict the level of inflation for when you...

I Don't Budget Because...

You’re not alone-whatever your excuse may be. It’s too time consuming, complicated, not sure how…Unfortunately, a budget is the very foundation for your entire life plan.Without one, you can’t build any kind of plan without running a huge risk that it may all fall apart. According to a GoBankingRates survey, 1 in 4 Americans’number one...