At the heart of the financial planning process is a philosophy and belief that, with enough time and the application of the right tools, financial independence and the accomplishment of life goals are accomplishable by anyone. However, financial planning is often a service engaged in by people who’ve already demonstrated significant financial capability: adults with careers, decent savings, and accumulated …
Back in June, I wrote a piece called “Best Interest Root Canals”. Effective on June 30th, Regulation BI (“Best Interest”) became effective law in the United States, requiring that all registered brokers and investment adviser representatives in the United States make recommendations “in the best interest of the client”, despite entirely failing to define the term best interest or put …
All too often, when you read job posts they look like a list from a hostage-taker, where the demands of the role are laid out in long bullet-pointed lists of ideal qualifications and the tradeoff is a vague reference to the career tier the position is intended for. “Must have 5 years experience, skills including X, Y, and Z, and …
While the presidential election is still yet to be decided, Colorado has finalized several ballot measures based on voting proportion while others remain undetermined. Based on where things sit, today, we’ll address the impact of measures that have passed (or are very likely to) and how that will affect your finances in the future. This is important for financial planning, …
“If you’re not paying for it, you’re the product.” -Unattributed This expression has come up in popularity over the past several years as the public has become more aware of the business model of popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. As the public learns that these companies are effectively large advertising platforms designed to target them directly, …
A common debate or question for financial planners is whether it’s better to rent or buy a home. As with most things, it depends, but as a general rule, if you don’t intend to constantly move long distances (more frequently than every six years or so), it becomes a valuable wealth-building tool to own real estate. However, real estate is …
The United States has, for many decades now, emphasized above many options “the value of an education.” A significant portion of state and federal tax dollars is spent on K-12 education, with some states going further and providing additional funding at the undergraduate collegiate level and beyond. This cultural trend was magnified at the end of World War Two, when …
Disclaimers and Disclosures: As of this writing, I am the owner of a Registered Investment Adviser Firm offering ERISA Plan Fiduciary services, and this represents a conflict of interest in that anything Mr. Itzoe has written in the book that better aligns with what I do, I am likely to tout, and anything that varies, I am likely to critique. …
The Financial Planning Association’s Annual Conference is a tradition stretching back decades, bringing together academics, financial planning leaders, industry experts, students, and practitioners to share the latest research, best practices, and latest thought on how the profession of financial planning can improve the lives of everyday people. This piece is going to be a summary of the content I learned …
Understanding that two weeks ago I wrote about the behavioral financial biases that lead to someone with political beliefs having their perception of money and the economy skewed by their politics, I’m now probably going to stick my foot in deeper water by talking about a recent political issue: the president’s taxes. In the interest of trying to keep as …