8 Retirement Mistakes to Avoid

Paul FennerRetirement Planning

The web is likely cluttered with articles and posts about the critical retirement mistakes to avoid.  But in working with people first hand I often come up with ideas that I believe are worth sharing no matter how often they may or may not be published. Anyone of the topics below only begins to scratch the surface upon another layer … Read More

Stressing Out About Money

Paul FennerPersonal Finance

Stress

I recently had a conversation with an individual about the very last sentence in this Ben Carlson post Stressing Out about Money, “Too many people are on their own when it comes to making financial decisions.” As American businesses have shifted from pensions to 401ks, it has shifted the responsibility for retirement savings from the employer to the employee.  I agree … Read More

HGTV Host Provides Insights on How to Make a Second Home a Reality

Paul FennerPersonal Finance

House

My wife and I have always thought about what it might be like to own a vacation home.  We have friends that have been able to pull it off from both a financial and usage perspective. HGTV host Matt Blashaw provides some insight into how to potentially make a second home a reality in this Business Insider article.  Caution even … Read More

When Risk and Returns Really Start to Matter

Paul FennerPortfolio Management

I often tell new or prospective clients that investment management is the sexy part of the many facets of wealth management that I work on. For most clients, it is investment returns that get their attention.  But as I go on to explain what it is that I really do and how I help people figure out where they want … Read More

A Dozen Things I have Learned From…..

Paul FennerPortfolio Management

best college fit college planning

Two financial and investment bloggers that I follow on a regular basis are Barry Ritholtz and Ben Carlson.  Another blogger whose content that I also read is Tren Griffin.  Griffin runs 25IQ, a blog about business models, investing, technology, and other aspects of life that he finds interesting. He works for Microsoft; Previously he was a partner at Eagle River, a … Read More

Retirement Living: College towns lure Boomers

Paul FennerRetirement Planning

best college fit college planning

I had read this USA Today article several years ago that I never posted regarding where people are choosing to retire.  Interestingly enough, people are looking beyond the typical places of Arizona and Florida. College towns seem to be an alternative destination that people are really considering when it comes to retirement time.  I have often told my wife that … Read More

Social Security Strategies

Paul FennerRetirement Planning

Retirement

I received an email recently to remind me to check my annual Social Security Statement.  Typically these statements would be mailed to you every year but the agency did away with that practice for most people a few years ago in order to cut costs. Setting up an online account is easy and you get to see more options compared … Read More

The Growing Gap in Wealth Inequality

Paul FennerBusiness & Economics

As this Business Insider article points out that extrapolating the future based upon past trends is never a sure-fire answer.  The chart below points out the growing disconnect between those that have the most wealth and those that do not.  Stagnant wage growth especially here in the U.S. has not helped the masses while those of you participating in the … Read More