Murder mystery dinners are popular. At these dinners’ guests try to guess who committed the crime based on a series of clues. Guests are also part of the show and may be prime suspects. You might have attended one of these events in the past, but have you ever been to a financial mystery dinner?
Le...
A client called recently to let me know he was going to make a major purchase. He wanted to know if his purchase was going to affect his investments. After a few clicks through his financial plan, we determined he could make the purchase and it would not have an impact on his long-term goals. He mad...
Growing up in Southern California I went to Disneyland often. In the ‘70s they issued tickets rather than an all-inclusive pass. Their ticket system used letters – A through E, with an E Ticket being the most coveted. They were the most popular and exciting rides like the Matterhorn or Space Mounta...
Fake News is everywhere, I think. Who knows?
Fake news is on the rise, undermining credible news stories and causing angst. It attacks people, places and things by reporting stories that aren’t true. People shoot first and ask questions later by reacting to false headlines. Online posts, media out...
The graduating class of Morehouse College received an unexpected gift from their commencement speaker. Mr. Robert F. Smith offered to forgive all the student loans for the class of 2019. Mr. Smith is a billionaire, philanthropist, investor, and fellow Austinite who announced his generous offer to t...
Do you give the horse its strength or clothe its neck with a flowing mane? Do you make it leap like a locust, striking terror with its proud snorting? It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength, and charges into the fray. It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; it does not shy away from the sword. ~...
I love DIY projects.
This past weekend I was going to fix my garage door. I researched the issue, watched a few YouTube videos and talked to some professionals. I felt confident I could fix it, so I ordered the supplies.
The project was going well until I started to add the new part. It wasn’t w...
The S&P 500 rose 13% in the first quarter. Are you satisfied or frustrated if your investment portfolio “only” made 12%?
During the quarterly review season investors want to know how well their accounts performed. Did they make money? Did they outperform the market? Will the trend continue? These...
A high-profile financial battle is brewing over coffee. Suze Orman has said that a daily coffee habit can cost you $1 million.[1] Her comments were called into question by Ben Carlson, blogger at “A Wealth of Common Sense.” He said, “This advice sounds good because the latte factor is catchy but it’...
I recently took an overnight canoe trip with some mighty men from my church - a diverse group of weekend warriors brought together for adventure and fellowship.
We paddled down the Colorado River. The river was running faster than normal due to the rain we received in Austin, so it produced some...
The tax season is in the rear-view mirror, so now is a great time to start planning for next year’s returns. Before you put your returns away for good, spend some time reviewing your data. Review your income, deductions, and expenses to see if you can find an opportunity to make changes.
The state...
Tiger Woods roared to life by winning the 2019 Masters – his fifth green jacket. He last won at Augusta in 2005 and it’s his first major win in 11 years. Athletically, his win marks one of the greatest comebacks in all of sports.
His trials and tribulations are well documented, and few people gave...