This is a question I am asked all the time. Will I ever get a penny from Social Security? Most people have come to the conclusion that they won’t get anything. Everyone has heard about Social Security running out of money in the about 20 years. However, I would like to go on record to…
All working adults should have an emergency fund. It is that important! In fact, I believe it is the very first thing to get in place once out of school and working full-time. An emergency fund is cash set aside in a savings account for those unexpected expenses and life events that inevitably occur. An…
CHICAGO — Since the Supreme Court decision on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) last year, 36% of the attorneys responding to a recent survey of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) have noted an increase in same-sex couples seeking legal advice. In addition, 44% have confirmed that they have handled same-sex marriage or related…
Many people want to know how they compare to others financially. Do they have as much saved up as other people their age? Are they ahead or behind everyone else? It is just one of those human traits we have. There is an interesting Web site that provides a comparison to the average net worth…
DJIA, S&P 500, NASDAQ, and EAFE. Does this feel like reading a menu in a foreign country? For most, it definitely shouldn’t mean much to you. Sure the pretty newscaster says things like “the S&P 500 is up 25 points today”, but you have no clue what S&P 500 stands for. These acronyms mentioned above…
As a physician, I make life and death decisions. When I lead a team of trainees, I am at the top of the chain of command. Medical students gather information to make decisions with the interns, who can seek the advice of senior residents, who in turn come to me. They try to limit it…
Many California homeowners financially stretch themselves to buy a home. It’s almost inevitable when even a starter home is selling for $400,000 or more. That means big monthly mortgage payments eat up a large chunk of income. It sure would be nice to lower that payment. Maybe even go out to dinner every once in…
Imagine having a friend or neighbor that you could turn to whenever you had a financial question. Think about how amazing that would be. Not sure how much of a house you can afford? Call your financial friend to walk you through the numbers. Don’t know which mutual funds to choose in your 401(k)? No…
Cell phone service is turning into a big monthly expense. People are using their smartphones for more things like watching movies, using thousands of apps and playing video games. Data usage is on the rise and so are cell phone bills. A monthly cell phone bill of $100 or more is pretty common. Luckily, I…
“We’ve been thinking of leaving our financial adviser for a few years. But if we left, we didn’t know what to do with our accounts?” That is a comment I commonly hear from new clients. There is no need to stay with a financial adviser you are not happy with just because you don’t know…
