A year ago, my father died. His passing was quick and sudden to us all. He had always lived a happy, vibrant, joyful life. And that was just as true on the day before he got sick. It was Memorial Day last year, which he spent with family grilling steaks and salmon. If you had seen him, you wouldn’t have known anything was wrong. No one did. But the next day, he had a stroke. Followed by 12 days in…
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Why Do You Need A Financial Plan?
There is a popular belief today that all financial advisors do is focus on investing people’s money. This is understandable given that for many decades, that was the main (or sole) focus of many Financial Advisors. But thankfully, that has been changing in recent years. Instead of just focusing on the stocks and bonds a client has, a Financial Advisor today is able to create, along with their clients, a financial plan on issues ranging from retirement, education, taxes, estate,…
What I Learned Losing $1000
Have you ever made a really bad financial decision? Something that cost you a lot of money? If you answered no to those questions, no need for you to read on, you are all set! But if you answered yes, let me share what I learned losing $1,000. Years ago I was working at a company that produced research on stocks. We had recently published some optimistic research on a small biotechnology company that had huge upside. I was so…
How Do You Know You’re Ready to Retire? (Part 2)
When you’re approaching retirement, you have to navigate an array of issues and choices. And each one plays a part in making sure that you’re fully ready to retire. In this post, I will help you answer the question of how do you know you’re ready to retire? This is part 2 in answering that question. If you haven’t already please go back and read part 1 here. Here Are Four More Things To Consider Before You’re Ready To Retire…
How Do You Know You’re Ready to Retire? (Part 1)
It’s one of the most important financial events of our lives. After decades of hard work and wisely saving, we finally get to the point in our lives when we’re ready to retire. But even though you may be approaching retirement age, how do you know you’re ready to retire? Here are four things to do to make sure you’ve got a good retirement plan in place: 1. Review accounts, goals and investments Are your accounts all over the place?…
When It Makes More Sense to Rent Than Buy
One of the things that I get asked about the most – especially since I work with young professionals whose careers are taking off and they are finally adulting – is buying a home. And with real estate prices sky high in places where I work with clients (I’m looking at you Culver City and La Jolla), I have to say there are times when it makes more sense to rent than buy. I know that’s not what we’re used…
Why I Became A Financial Planner
I still remember the day that set in motion why I became a financial planner. While visiting my parents from college, talking to my Dad about my finances. I had proudly told him that I paid off the minimum balance on my credit cards every month. He looked at me puzzled, and as was his nature, he gently corrected me: “You know you have to pay off the entire balance, not the minimum balance, every month, right?” Egg on my…
How To Relieve Financial Stress When Newly Single
When you are going through a divorce or the death of your spouse, the stress that you feel is immense. You are adjusting to a new reality, taking on responsibilities and chores that your former spouses took on, while also dealing with a painful emotional loss. I want to help you relieve financial stress as a new divorcee or widow. In this type of transition, it’s important to have clarity regarding certain aspects of your life so that you can…
3 Financial Tips for Young Professionals
One of the things that frustrates me about the financial services industry is that so many people try to make things more complicated than they need to be, especially for younger folks. Which is why I want to share my 3 financial tips for young professionals. There are people on TV who sell complexity, who think that it makes them look smart, or even necessary. One problem (among many) with that is that most young professionals today have never had…
How Intentional Breaks Can Recharge Your Career And Improve Your Life
I used to think that if something wasn’t productive if it didn’t accomplish anything tangible. So things like hiking, reading fiction books, playing board games? Waste of time. I actually felt guilty whenever I would do those “unproductive” activities too often, as I felt I was falling behind in my professional work. And hurting my career as a result. But as I was hiking in one of my favorite spots in Las Vegas recently, I had multiple new business ideas…