Should You Open a Trust?

This week’s blog is written by guest author, Lyle Solomon, principal attorney with Oak View Law Group.   Although drafting a trust can be quite complex, the basic concept of a trust is relatively easy to understand. In simple words, it means that a person is holding property for another person’s benefit.  What is trust?…

The 6 key areas of financial planning

Have you ever noticed that money tends to disappear unless you pay attention to it?  It’s true.  (It’s that dreadful feeling we get when we look at our bank statement at the end of the month and think, “Where did it all go…?”) That’s why it’s essential that you have clarity around what you want…

What’s next for your money?

A lot of people seem to believe that financial planning is only for the wealthy, or for the people who are a financial train wreck. That might be partially true…before I left my last broker-dealer, I saw how much pressure advisors were under to only take on clients who met certain asset minimums. In many…

How to Invest Simply

If you want to avoid the crazy-making style of investments, then focus on keeping things SIMPLE. There are two ways to look at simple. One way is to keep things simple so that you can do it all yourself. This is totally doable—and not at all scary—in our digital world, and I’ve made some suggestions…

Stop Freaking Out About Taxes

I do not prepare tax returns, but as a financial planner, I understand taxes and can help my clients with their tax strategy. And it’s that time of year when many of you are about to freak out about your tax return. Now is when all of those TV ads pop up, warning you that…

Financial planners

Money & Relationships Roundup!

Since February is the month of love and relationships, I am giving you the links to articles that can help you decide how to approach money in your relationship! I believe that money issues are a symptom of the health of a relationship – not the other way around. In other words, you “do” money…

Financial advisor

Financial Clarity Reduces Stress

Let’s be honest – 2020 was a sh*t show. There was (still is??) financial uncertainty around healthcare, jobs, wages, tariffs, the stock market, and more. All this uncertainty can be unsettling and overwhelming. And overwhelm can cause people to panic or make poor choices.  We have a loop of worst-case scenarios playing on repeat in…

Financial advisor

What Do I Owe My Partner?

Mindy,  My boyfriend and I have started living together! But we’re running into a bit of a sticky wicket. I own my home (with a mortgage) and he sold his home to move in with me. Right now, he gives me about $1,200 per month to cover costs. Because he doesn’t have his name on…