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March 26, 2019 in Evidence-Based Investing, Family Money, Investing, Mindful living by
Diversification is a strategy designed to help you avoid unnecessary mistakes 1.  The Easiest Decade for DIY Investors (The Belle Curve, 3/17/2019) "Do you remember all the hoopla about “The Lost Decade” for US stocks? Over a ten-year period the S&P 500 had a negative return. That is a very long time to be down in stocks. But what rarely gets mentioned is that investing in different types of stocks provided positive...

August 28, 2018 in Family Money, Real Estate, SAGE Reads by
First-time home buyers having a rough go of it 1.Starter-Home Affordability Hits a Decade Low (Prashant Gopal, Bloomberg, 8/27/2018) “Starter homes are now more costly to purchase than at any time since 2008, when the last boom came to a crashing halt. In the second quarter, first-time buyers needed almost 23 percent of their income to afford a typical entry-level home, up from 21 percent a year earlier, according to an analysis...

June 20, 2018 in Family Money, Real Estate by
Your path to buying a home In How to Buy a House, Michelle Higgins of the New York Times outlines your path to homeownership, step-by-step. Steps include: Rent vs. Buy, How Much House Can I Afford, Check Your Credit Score, Get Pre-approved for a Mortgage, Line up Cash, Figure Out Where You Want to Live, Making An Offer, and Closing. Don’t forget to celebrate when all is done! Additional Reading: From...

April 25, 2018 in Family Money, Retirement Planning, Tax Management by
How do you save for “retirement” if you don’t participate in a 401(k) plan? Katie Lobosco with CNN Money writes “The good news is that there are other accounts you can open yourself that offer similar benefits. For some self-employed people, the benefits can be even better than a traditional 401(k) plan's.” Roth IRA’s are great for kids with earned income Kimberly Lankford with Kiplinger’s Personal Finance notes “Contributing to a...

October 24, 2017 in Family Money, Financial Life Planning, Insurance, Risk Management by
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...

September 15, 2017 in Credit, Family Money, Identity Theft by
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,...

June 6, 2017 in Expenses, Family Money by
In my last post, we covered some of the financial trade-offs to consider before you decide to pay off your mortgage on the early side. Still, sooner or later, I hope that payoff day does arrive for you. There are few financial acts more gratifying than ensuring your castle is all your own, free and clear. Before you pop that cork on the bubbly though, it’s important to make sure you...

May 29, 2017 in Expenses, Family Money by
We hear this question often: “Should I pay off my mortgage early?” As you’ll hear us say even more often, the answer is, “It depends.” It’s nice to no longer have that monthly mortgage payment, and there’s something satisfying about owning your home outright. That said, if you allocate dollars to paying off your mortgage, you’re essentially ruling out other ways you could be spending, saving or investing that same money. Here...

May 22, 2017 in Family Money, Investing, Young Adult Series by
If there’s an investment instrument that has withstood the test of time, it’s the good, old U.S. savings bond. Since their 1935 debut under “New Deal” President Franklin D. Roosevelt, they’ve never been known for their get-rich glamour. But to this day, investors still turn to them when appropriate. When do savings bonds still make sense, and what are best practices for managing them these days? The Enduring U.S. Savings Bond As...

May 15, 2017 in Budgets, Expenses, Family Money, Young Adult Series by
Okay, I know budgeting is rarely fun for anyone, but it can be especially hard on young adults. You’ve just wrapped up your formal education and received your first decent paycheck – way more than you’ve been earning between classes. What’s a common reaction? “I deserve a shopping spree!” Meantime, the necessary expenses add up too: food, clothing and shelter for today and tomorrow. You get to the end of...