For Some Retirees, Home is Where the Debt is Today’s pre-retirees and retirees tend to have far more debt than those in years past. In addition to factors like credit card payments and medical expenses, this generation is seeing the effects of higher home prices and easily obtained low down-payment mortgages in the early 2000s.1…

Retirement Investing   Retirement planning looks much different than it did a century ago. With lifespans and retirements lasting longer, it’s not just about planning for a financial future; we must also create a post-career strategy that takes into account emotional, intellectual and quality of life challenges during later years.   After all, we don’t…

Various Types of “Economies”   As recently as five years ago, few people had heard of emerging businesses like Airbnb and Uber that allow proprietors to share their personal residences and cars to generate income. This business model is now commonly referred to as the “sharing economy.” 1   However, just as capitalism morphs, so does…

Market Trends   Fueled by more plentiful jobs, the U.S. residential real-estate market is skyrocketing. In some areas, particularly major metropolitan cities, buyers are struggling to either find or afford a home. Those lucky enough to find the right place have to move quickly — gone are the days of extensive deliberation on whether a…

Market Trends   Fueled by more plentiful jobs, the U.S. residential real-estate market is skyrocketing. In some areas, particularly major metropolitan cities, buyers are struggling to either find or afford a home. Those lucky enough to find the right place have to move quickly — gone are the days of extensive deliberation on whether a…

Family Business Considerations   Family businesses that manage to survive generation after generation leave not only a family legacy, but also the potential for tremendous wealth. For example, Arkansas-based Walmart is presently the largest business in the world in terms of revenue, earning more than $485 billion in 2017. In 1992, founder Sam Walton passed…

Investing in Europe   It’s often said that when one asset class falters, others are likely rising. To some extent, this may be occurring with U.S. equities. The stock market correction that started in February amid fears of rising inflation has continued through March with the threat of a global trade war.1   According to…

Putting a Value on Real Property   Real property generally refers to land, but it also can include structures, bodies of water and machinery.1 It typically denotes property of significant value, which is why state and local governments choose to impose taxes on our homes. These levies could be considered a progressive tax, in that people…

Notes on U.S. Infrastructure The American Society of Civil Engineers has given the U.S. an overall infrastructure grade of D+. Throughout the next decade, it will take more than $4.5 trillion to fix our aging infrastructure — including upgrades to roads, mass transit, wastewater treatment plants and the electrical grid.1 We’ve reached the mission-critical stage.…

Handling Market Corrections Correctly Today’s political environment and recent volatility in the U.S. stock markets, particularly February’s correction, caused concern for some investors. If you’ve met with a financial advisor who designed a strategy to fit your individual financial goals, timeline and tolerance for risk, it’s generally recommended you stay the course.1 But that doesn’t mean…