SEPTEMBER 2017 Lessons for the Next Crisis  We recently experienced the 10-year anniversary of when, in early October 2007, the S&P 500 Index hit what was its highest point before losing more than half its value over the next year and a half during the global financial crisis. Over the coming weeks and months, as other anniversaries of major crisis-related events pass (for example, 10 years since the bank run on Northern Rock...

Sheri’s take: Recently, we shared two guest posts on this fall’s insurance open enrollment period, authored by Mark Maurer, CFP®, MBA, president and CEO of LLIS. Mark’s posts were well-received, so we were delighted when he agreed to share one more interesting idea with us on how to use “layering” to save costs on your life insurance while still ensuring adequate coverage for your loved ones. Good coverage at less...

Sheri’s take: As this year’s open enrollment period goes into full swing, you and your family can use the opportunity to not only review your healthcare coverage, but also to take a fresh look at life and disability insurance coverage available to you. Last week, we were pleased to share an insightful guest post on group and individual life insurance considerations, compliments of Mark Maurer, CFP®, MBA, president and CEO...

Sheri’s take: There’s strength in numbers, especially in having a number of well-informed alliances to supplement our own financial know-how. Mark Maurer, CFP®, MBA, president and CEO of LLIS is one such alliance we’ve long maintained – because protecting the wealth you’ve already got against life’s many risks is essential to your total wealth interests. Thanks to Mark and his LLIS team for sharing this guest commentary on insurance coverage worth...

Do you have any idea how often you pick up your smartphone throughout the day (and night)? Do you feel addicted to your phone? Are you losing your ability to focus when you read and when you work? If so, then I have just the book for you -- “Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self”, written by Manoush Zomorodi, the host of...

It's been hard to escape the news of the Equifax breach. Even though it happened starting in May 2017 we're only just hearing about it. In my opinion, and others', the company's response to this breach has been far from stellar. Huffington Post reports: The Federal Trade Commission announced it is investigating the Equifax incident, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is looking into the company’s response to the breach. Members of the House Judiciary,...

AUGUST,  2017 Quit Monkeying Around! In the world of investment management there is an oft-discussed idea that blindfolded monkeys throwing darts at pages of stock listings can select portfolios that will do just as well, if not better, than both the market and the average portfolio constructed by professional money managers. If this is true, why might it be the case? TO READ MORE: OPEN PDF ARTICLE ...

Dominic begins his senior year at WPI and Devon his sophomore year at the Hartt School; Dave and I return to being empty-nesters.  Sigh. As your kids or grandkids head back to school, I've compiled a list for your reading pleasure.  You will find some light-hearted articles, some that are thought-provoking, and some of a more practical nature: When Holding is the Hardest Part (Ben Carlson) “The easy money has been...

Whether you’ve been working hard, hardly working, or enjoying a balance of both this summer, I’ll bet the past few months have flown by fast. They have for me, anyway, as I’ve enjoyed some (too brief!) time with my college boys, helped my husband Dave ramp up his new business, co-managed SAGEbroadview, and – of course – kept reading every day. So here it is, almost September, and already time to...