Making Cents: Managing Risk
Many say that an analysis of risk should be the first step of the financial planning process after you’ve compiled your financial statements and enumerated your dreams, goals and objectives. The reason for starting with risk is because the occurrence of an unplanned risk may prevent your best laid plans from ever having a chance…
Making Cents: Why Get Your Financial House In Order?
Perhaps the most common reason for the gaping holes in one’s financial plan is the lack of focus on what you are trying to accomplish. Why get your financial house in order? During the course of my week as a financial professional, we frequently see people with gaping holes in the financial plans. Some have no…
A Great Day For Sportsmanship
Last Sunday here on the Irish Riviera (one nickname for Scituate, MA) was not a great day for outdoor activities. The day was a complete washout reminiscent of South Florida style storms complete with thunder and lightning. Frequently on days like this, I have a saying that it is “a great day for indoor sports”….
Making Cents: When It Comes To Money, Treat Family Like Anyone Else
Most people seek out financial guidance to help protect wealth for their lifetime and to preserve it to the extent possible for future generations. But it seems that the more financial independence that you have, the more you begin to feel and look like a target by your friends and family to help them with…
Making Cents: College Grads Face More Challenges Than Ever
This time of year, I always like to say something positive to the new entries into “the real world”. New college grads have always had challenges transitioning from the college world into a world of work, bills and responsibilities. In today’s economy these grads face as many challenges as ever. Many have large amounts of…
Making Cents: Precautions Can Mitigate Losses In The Next Storm
Stuff happens, and there are obvious natural disasters that no one can prevent. But getting your house in order to protect what is important to you is something that you can start to fix today. What would bother me, for example, are the drawers of old photos from my childhood and then of raising a…
Making Cents: Myths About Financial Advice
When it comes to choosing a new financial advisor or evaluating your current advisor, there are some very basic elements that you need to consider. To get you in the right frame of mind, consider these myths and new realities. Myth number one is about competence and success. Believe it or not, the most successful…
Making Cents: Planning Your Rewarding Retirement
Perhaps this is your year – the year you finally get to spend your time exactly how you want, and maybe slow down or call it quits from work. Whether now or later, these are some of the matters that you may want consider now. Not working will free up a lot of time, and you…
The Heat Is On
No Celtics fans, I’m not talking about the domination that the 8th seed Miami Heat brought onto the Celtics, I’m talking Hot Peppers. When I arrived back to Scituate from FL, I realized that I only had 3 ball jars of the Famous J Nap Hot Pepper Relish remaining. As a result, I spent Memorial…
Making Cents: Take the Noise in Stride When Considering Investment Approach
Looking back over history there are many times when policy, politics and fear overcame markets. It happens in just about every market; real estate, Wall Street, Currencies and Commodities both domestically and abroad. Sometimes these markets react favorably and other times, unfavorably. What is exceptionally tough to do is to use policy, politics and fear to…