I’ve recently attended a couple of events and read Being Mortal by Atul Gawande on the topic of death and dying. Morbid, I know. Interestingly the biggest take away from these events was that death can actually teach us a fair amount about living. However, before I share what death can teach you about living, here are some of the [...]
If you are like the 44% of Americans who make New Year’s resolutions in January, you might want to rethink how you develop your goals so that you are more likely to achieve them. I use a structured goal-setting process (licensed from Money Quotient) with my financial planning clients to help them live a more meaningful life. Some of the [...]
One aspect of the new tax bill passed in late 2017, is a much higher standard deduction of $12,000 for singles and $24,000 for couples filing jointly. As a result of the higher standard deduction, it may no longer make sense for some people to itemize their deductions. According to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, it is estimated that the [...]
The Fall is both peak fire season in the Western US and peak hurricane season in the Southeast. Furthermore, California is way overdue for a major earthquake. For all of these reasons, it seems now is a good time to make sure you are ready for a disaster. While there are many things to prepare for a potential disaster, my [...]
I recently read a book, Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be by Frank Bruni, that shed some light on the college admissions hysteria many families find themselves immersed in, particularly those who live in affluent communities. Over the past decade, college admissions rates have plummeted, with some of the elite schools now boasting rates in the 5% range, [...]
The data breach at Equifax, which exposed at least 143 million people’s financial data, is a symptom of the Age of Accelerations. Accelerations in globalization and technology are enabling thieves to be ever more sophisticated in their crimes. If even a company where data security should be paramount can be compromised, how are far less sophisticated consumers to protect themselves? [...]
With over 100,000 people displaced by the North Bay fires, chances are even if you weren’t directly impacted by them, you may know someone who was. Recovering from a catastrophic loss of this nature is complicated by the emotional challenges of grieving from the loss. We’ve included some tips below to help begin the long road to recovery, gathered from [...]
A book I recently read, Thank You for Being Late by Thomas Friedman, helped make sense of the crazy world we live in. I’ve been feeling like things are moving ever faster and finding it overwhelming at times to deal with the hectic nature of life. This book helped me understand why I am feeling this [...]
If you are like the 44% of Americans who made New Year’s resolutions in January, you might by now also be feeling like the 92% of people who fail to keep their resolutions. If so, you might be wondering what is the best way to stay on track? What can I do if I fall off the wagon? Or why [...]
After a particularly divisive and negative election season, many might be craving a bit more positive energy and healing. The hectic pace and excessive consumption of the holidays can also cause stress. For these reasons, now is a particularly good time to focus on gratitude and generosity to others. […]
