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Consumers may be at risk for many years.

How long should you worry about identity theft in the wake of the Equifax hack? The correct answer might turn out to be “as long as you live.” If your personal data was copied in this cybercrime, you should at least scrutinize your credit, bank, and investment account statements in the near term. You may have to keep up that vigilance for years to come. 

Cybercrooks are sophisticated in their assessment of consumer habits and consumer memories. They know that eventually, many Americans will forget about the severity and depth of this crime – and that could be the right time to strike. All those stolen Social Security and credit card numbers may be exploited in the 2020s rather than today. Or, perhaps these criminals will just wait until Equifax’s offer of free credit monitoring for consumers expires. 

As if business owners didn’t have enough to contend in managing their business and personal finances, there is one particular aspect of their financial lives that is often neglected until it’s too late, and that is the management of their estate.

Until recently, many retirees have been able to rely upon the three-legged stool of retirement income sources: A defined benefit pension plan that guarantees a lifetime income, their own savings, and Social Security.

How separate (or intertwined) should your financial lives be? Some spouses share everything with each other – including the smallest details of their personal finances. Other spouses decide to keep some individual financial decisions and details to themselves, and their relationship is just fine. 

Just as a marriage requires understanding, respect, and compromise, so does the financial life of a married couple. Now that October is here, one of the most popular months for today's couples to exchange vows, it's time for some newlyweds to make a decision on whether or not to combine finances and banking accounts. If you are marrying soon or have just married, you may be surprised (and encouraged) by the way your individual finances may or may not need to change.

Crises pass, and markets eventually regain equilibrium.

We have seen some uneasy times lately. Uneasiness impacts the financial markets. When it does, we all need to keep some long-term perspective in mind. Those who race to the sidelines and exit equities may regret the choice when crises pass.

Ask anyone and even if they don’t know a thing about investing they’ll say, “oh, real estate is a great investment!”

Life insurance is universally recognized as an essential pillar of a financial plan for providing much needed capital in the event of a breadwinner. It is also fundamental to other planning needs, such as estate planning to pay for settlement costs and taxes, and business planning for business continuation or key person protection.

Much has been written and discussed about the evils of annuities. In fact, I am frequently asked about annuities by clients and future clients. Of course, like so many things, an annuity is neither inherently good nor bad. In fact, the only relevant question is: Is an annuity good for YOU?

Imagine the following scenario: You run a successful business with your business partner of 20 years. Your business partner dies unexpectedly. After the funeral, your deceased partner’s spouse shows up at your office with her two grown children. They ask for the key to your partner’s office – not to clean it out, but to move in.

Your approach to building wealth should be built around your goals & values.