December 31, 2020 I am incredibly grateful that none of my immediate family has been infected by the coronavirus because so many families have lost so much. Because of that, I try not to use the word ‘loss’ when speaking or writing about the coronavirus, but there certainly are things I miss. Like so many of you, what I’ve missed...
December 31, 2020 While we all hope that 2020 is one and done, never to be repeated, we would be remiss if we fail to heed the lessons learned from what we’ve all been through (and continue to endure). In no specific order of importance, here are a few to ponder. Tele-health is here to stay: Why visit a doctor’s...
December 31, 2020 AARP Bulletin 1 published several steps we can all take to protect ourselves from fraud in 2021. (Considering we’re referencing AARP, you may be amused by one of their tips.) Improve your password protection: Many companies, financial and otherwise, now offer ‘dual-factor authentication.’ That means you sign-in to your account using your ID and password (Factor 1)...
November 15, 2020 As many long-time clients will attest, I tend to share lessons I learn in life through this column. Some lessons may apply to more readers than others, but I always hope there is some value to at least a few of you. In this instance, I think I learned something that has the potential to benefit everyone...
November 15, 2020 The Wall Street Journal published a Journal Report titled Encore, and it included an article 1 on how COVID will impact us all in retirement. Even if you’re not a retiree or close to it, it’s worth it to pay attention. As Kenny Chesney sings: “Don’t blink…a hundred years goes faster than you think.” Aging at home...
November 15, 2020 A few planning tips as we head into the final days of 2020 that we thought you might find helpful. As always, if any of these interest you and you'd like to discuss further, let us know. End-of-year-gift giving: If you’re going to make a directed donation before year-end or simply add to a donor-advised fund, consider...
September 30, 2020 A few weeks ago, we moved my 98-year-old mother from independent living to long-term care. One of the reasons why we selected the community where she lives is because they have a continuum of care, to include independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing. (As an aside, for anyone considering independent living, a continuum of care on...
September 30, 2020 As many long-time investors know, the stock market doesn’t react well to uncertainty. What the market does reward is constancy: interest rates that don’t fluctuate to any great degree; an economy growing on a gradual incline; and a lack of drama. When it comes to 2020, put a check next to constancy in interest rates, as there’s...
September 30, 2020 Compliments of AARP The Magazine 1, here are “8 smartphone apps to make life safe.” Some might be useful to you, an elderly parent, or to any other age group. There’s so much available on our smartphones that people don’t take advantage of; these apps just nick the surface. (All apps are free except for Dark Sky...
August 15, 2020 If you spent the past five months in lunar orbit and recently opened your brokerage statement, your reaction was probably akin to ho-hum. For the rest of us mere mortals, it’s been an incredible whipsaw. Lacking sports and social lives, watching the stock market became its own entertainment. With industries shedding jobs by the gazillions and retail...