You can do three things with the money you make: spend it, save or invest it, or give it away. People who are wise with money tend to do all three and stick to a ratio that makes sense for their situation. The percentages you commit to each category can vary...
What a difference it makes being prepared! Laying your clothes out the night before, planning your meals and making a list for the grocery, studying for an exam 1-2 weeks in advance, studying game film for your upcoming opponent; these are all simple examples of the...
Two consecutive quarters of negative GDP (Gross Domestic Product) – this has been a reliable rule of thumb to accurately determine if a recession has occurred. The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) uses more complex formulas to officially declare a...
Merry Christmas! We are approaching the end of another calendar year, and it has not been an easy one for those with investments. Investors have been reminded that one thing is true: annual investment growth is not guaranteed. 2022 has been a drawn out and long...
During the summer Olympics, millions of people watch the best divers in the world perform amazing acrobatic feats while falling with great speed toward a pool of water. One of the criteria for achieving a good score is based on how the diver enters the water – the...
Four thousand one hundred sixty weeks. This is how many weeks you would have if you lived 80 years. I do not know how that makes you feel, but it forces me to have a new perspective on the fleeting amount of time we have on this earth. Carpe Diem! It is easy to get...
Imagine a table filled with desserts – cookies, Danishes, doughnuts, pies, and brownies. Now imagine this table being in the kitchen at work versus the kitchen at home. Are you more likely to indulge in the Danish if it is at work or at home? This is an example of how...
“We’ve never gotten around to it,” “We need to do that,” “That is something we have discussed, but it always gets put off.” These are common responses I hear from families when I ask if they have their estate documents created or updated. It is a common observation...
Buffer Your Budget If you were the Chief Financial Officer of a business, would you manage the company budget the same way you manage your household budget? I believe some of you would, but odds are most of you would not. I am not shaming any of you for how you handle...
For eight years, my wife and I raised our family in a house we bought together right before we were married in 2014. We quickly grew into a family of five plus one dog. We loved our home, but we were filling up the small amount of square footage, so we decided it was...
A loving mother is a blessing beyond words. I am a father of three young children, and I have the privilege of watching my wife love them more every day. As their dad, I am their loving protector, but their mom fills a place in their hearts that I cannot. You may be...
Consider This Program with Jamie Burton and Daren Hardesty. In this segment we will cover: Are annuities good, bad, or ugly? It depends on your needs and the type of annuity. Find out all you need to know about annuities on Consider This Program. Schedule your...
My wife and I are safe drivers. I can confidently say this because we have not been pulled over for speeding since high school; we have only had one minor accident that involved backing into a car in our driveway (I won’t say which one of us did that), and we are...
Consider This Program with Daren Hardesty and Grant Soliven, AIF. In this segment we will cover: Many people go into investing with an idea of how much they are going to make, but what happens when there is a drawdown in the market and you don't have a plan to protect...
Consider This Program with Grant Soliven, AIF, and Daren Hardesty. In this segment we will cover: Imagine having all tax-deferred money and no plan to unwind it before you need it or are forced to take it, OR WORSE, the tax code changes, and it is not in your favor....
If you could reduce your tax liability every year, wouldn’t the accumulation of those taxes add up to the smallest amount owed over your lifetime? In the short term, this is accurate, but it is the long-term ramifications that matter most. Wise investors need to...
Consider This Program with Joe Clark, CFP and Daren Hardesty. In this segment we will cover: Is there a simple way to turn disasters into inconveniences with your personal finance? There are several options, and it could be different depending on your financial phase...
Consider This Program with Joe Clark, CFP, and Daren Hardesty. In this segment we will cover: Most estate documents lay out the plan for what happens when you die – how can you make sure your wishes are maintained when you are cognitively declining? Do you need formal...
Consider This Program with Joe Clark, CFP, and Daren Hardesty. In this segment we will cover: There is a lot of confusion between risk and routine. Many do not realize that getting into a routine can be financially dangerous. Things that made sense in the past do not...
Consider This Program with Joe Clark, CFP, and Daren Hardesty. In this segment we will cover: It isn't easy talking about death. But it is even harder talking about fading away. Having proper estate documents and planning is key to leaving a legacy, but it is more...
Did you know two tax codes exist? Most people will tell you one is for the rich and one is for the poor. That is not true. The real answer is there is one for the informed and one for the uninformed. At the Financial Enhancement Group, we take pride in our ability to...
One of the most significant hurdles to overcome if retiring before age 65 is health insurance costs. It is expensive and can break your retirement budget before qualifying for Medicare. What if I told you the cost of health insurance might have been drastically...
Consider This Program with Joe Clark, CFP and Daren Hardesty. In this segment we will cover: Leaving a legacy is important to many families. However, taking the time and energy to make sure you and your family are taken care of isn't easy to set aside. Unfortunately,...
Consider This Program with Joe Clark, CFP and Daren Hardesty. In this segment we will cover: The age-old question, what happens if I live too long? It can be a risk factor, but good news. We can plan for this ahead of time. Find out how the retirement V for victory...
Consider This Program with Joe Clark, CFP, and Daren Hardesty. In this segment we will cover: Your options change as you age, but the good news is you don't have to do it alone! From retirement communities to co-habiting to long-term care facilities, there are...
Consider This Program with Joe Clark, CFP and Daren Hardesty. In this segment we will cover: The world is full of zombie shows. I don't get it, but I do understand phantom gains. Market volatility is frustrating. Unnecessary taxation is devastating. Here's how to...
Consider This Program with Joe Clark, CFP and Daren Hardesty. In this segment we will cover: As we age, how should our assets be titled? What do we need to know that we don't know? Schedule your complimentary Next Steps meeting today! www.yourlifeafterwork.com...
Consider This Program with Joe Clark, CFP and Daren Hardesty. In this segment we will cover: As we age, how should our assets be titled? What do we need to know that we don't know? Schedule your complimentary Next Steps meeting today! www.yourlifeafterwork.com...
Consider This Program with Joe Clark, CFP and Daren Hardesty. In this segment we will cover: You make money, and you pay taxes. You invest money, and you pay taxes. If you did well financially, you die, and you pay taxes. Right or wrong, it is what it is. Are you...
Some individuals go out of their way to be scared for Halloween. Managing money professionally, I regularly find enough monsters in the closet, regularly that so seeking out fresh fears seems unnecessary. One of the destructive challenges for investing when the...
A frequent question often pertains to beneficiaries. “What is the best way to leave my remaining assets to my family?” A simple question with assumed simple solutions. The truth is far from simple. A multitude of variables may be relevant to you and your situation....