Quite often I hear people mention something along the lines of, “We had no idea if we could, but we needed to save $10,000 in 5 months and we did it!” I proposed to my wife on a Wednesday in November because nothing says romance like a Wednesday evening at home in your kitchen. We then found a wedding date …
Stock Market Reactions & 4 Actions You Could Take | PubGPS Get Focused
On today’s video we talk about the emotions that are perfectly OK to feel when your investments have gone down in value. From there, we discuss four actions you could consider taking to help capitalize on an opportunity or to feel more confident in the road ahead.
Thoughts On The Stock Market
On Monday February 24, the S & P 500 Index opened at 3,257 and as I sit here midday Friday February 28, we are trading below 3,000 at 2,919 in what equates to a roughly 10.3% weekly drop in value. This is a big move, even for an inherently volatile investment like the US stock market. The headline catalyst is …
Different Take On “How Much House Can I Afford?”
On today’s episode we provide a different way to frame the tough decision on how much house you can afford. Instead of focusing on the monthly payment, and whether or not that is affordable, we want you to take a step back and look at the bigger long term picture. One important note, there are tax considerations and other costs …
My Number One Parent Tool….Tape
Now that I have been a parent for 7 years, I have come to learn the truly essential tools that should be in every parent’s toolbox. The one I want to share today is simply tape. Take your pick, since most any tape will do the trick, but my two go-tos are Duct Tape and Painter’s Tape. I already know …
Hands Off My Cup of Coffee!!
America loves coffee. I enjoy coffee so much I even like decaf. According to E-Imports (aka – the first link to pop up when I asked google this question, so it must be right) Americans drink 400 million cups of coffee every day! Yet despite our attraction to the java, the daily cup of coffee has become one of the targets …
“Ain’t Trading My Dreams for No 401k”
I ain’t trading my youth for no suit and jacket I ain’t giving my freedom for your money and status So don’t say I’m getting older ‘Cause I’ll say it when I do As I was driving to work the other day I was listening to a song by Judah, The Lion called “Suit & Jacket.” The message, as I …
Get Focused – Flex Spending Account for Dependent Care
Today we start with a breakdown of how the federal income tax brackets work. With that foundation in place, we review how a Flex Spending Account for Dependent Care operates and its tax advantages. This is not to be confused with a Child or Dependent Care tax credit. There are complexities and exceptions that should be reviewed with a tax …
You Can’t Win Em ALL!!
At times, the depth of my parental strategizing makes me feel I am in the most intense board game ever. A game where I am never sure if I am winning or if I will ever win! Let me set the table for you. It has become a tradition in our house that on one weekend morning we do a …
Estate Planning – The Basics – Part 6
In today’s episode we talk about the main pieces of your estate plan These include the Will, Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy and your beneficiary designations. We review why you should have a will especially if you have young children and the role of a guardian vs a trustee. Last, we explain the rule of 72 as a basic …