A Saturday phone call began the way these things usually do — with a parent trying to protect a child. A longtime client phoned over a recent weekend, frantic, convinced his adult son owed a large, sudden tax bill and needed help covering it. Could we meet first thing Monday?

A client mentioned it almost in passing. She'd "taken care of the house." To spare her daughter the hassle and expense of probate someday, she had added her to the deed as a joint owner — a form, a notary, done. She was proud of how simple it had been. It may have been the most expensive sentence in our conversation

A few months ago, a client called me on a Saturday. Not during market hours, not about a trade — on a weekend, and he was shaken. He needed to see me first thing Monday. He was certain he had to help his adult son cover a sudden, sizable tax bill, and he wanted to know how to free up the cash without damaging the plan we'd spent years building.

For several articles, we have been making the case — with Federal Reserve data, National Association of Realtors (NAR) homeownership statistics, and a decade of earnings research — that the conventional college promise is empirically broken for a significant share of American families. As it turns out, Congress has reached the same conclusion.

The first two articles in this series made a case most parents didn't want to hear.

The data was never meant to be comforting. But data without a framework is just anxiety. So here is the framework.

Let's say your family did everything right. Your kid studied hard, got into a decent school, borrowed what it took, and walked across that stage four years later with a diploma and a handshake. That's the deal, right? 

THE YEAR 2025 was a good example of the prevailing regime.
That is, we are witnessing markets that are driven less by fundamentals and traditional business-cycle dynamics and more by fiscal and monetary policy influence.

The current 2025 year offers distinct advantages for charitable planning activities. Recent legislation, specifically the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), has introduced provisions affecting charitable giving decisions.

President Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) on July 4, 2025, after months of deliberation in the
House and Senate. The legislation includes multiple tax provisions that will:

According to the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances, taken every three years, slightly more than one in five U.S. households had received an inheritance as of 2022. If you expect to receive an inheritance one day, these tips may help you better manage your financial windfall.

Don't Leave Money on the Table -- Check for Your Unclaimed Treasury Bonds

More than $39 billion in U.S. savings bonds have matured and remain unredeemed - and some of that money could belong to you or a family member.

Title fraud is a growing risk for homeowners. This type of fraud occurs when a scammer forges documents to transfer ownership of a property without the owner’s knowledge or consent, potentially leading to serious financial and legal consequences. Thankfully, homeowners can...

Are you thinking of getting married or divorced? If so, consider December 31, 2024, in your tax planning. Here’s another planning question: Do you give money to family or friends (other than your children...

With less than two months until the presidential election, the policy platforms for President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are gradually forming. Through speeches and debates, each candidate is laying out what they stand for...

Navigating the loss of a partner is a painful experience. In today’s environment where privacy and security can restrict access to only account holders, there are some key actions...

Staying in-state for college in Arizona offers numerous advantages, especially when it comes to merit scholarships based on high school performance. Both Northern Arizona University (NAU) and...

N*O*T*H*I*N*G Online is Private!
Sharing exciting moments in our life is wonderful, but there is no reason to help the cyber criminals to your information. Even by limiting your account to people you know; other people may share your posts with strangers. Here are some tips...

In the competitive landscape of business, attracting and retaining top talent is crucial for sustained success. For business owners and high-performing employees alike, a Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation plan can be a powerful tool that...

In the world of finance, as in martial arts, adaptability is often the key to success. Renowned martial artist Bruce Lee once said, "Be formless, shapeless, like water." This philosophy of adaptability can be applied to the world of investing, where...

Since March 2011, the Social Security Administration ceased mailing annual benefits statements. Consequently, many individuals have deferred dealing with this matter, often relegating it to a later date. However, reviewing your statement can...

Stocks have had a tremendous run since last fall (at least until yesterday), with four straight positive months, a series of record highs for the S&P 500, and, finally, one for the Nasdaq, and a more than 20% advance for both indexes.

When stocks do this well, we inevitably hear warnings about high valuations...

As young families start to grow, the focus of many financial decisions becomes the immediate need for housing, childcare, increased expenses and sometimes going from a two-income household down to one. While the thought...

In June 2022, we posted an article titled “I” For Inflation. Is an I Bond a Good Options for Me? At the time, this low-risk investment that was yielding 9.62%. An I Bond is a US Treasury issued savings bond that pays a base rate of interest plus...

As a Certified Financial Planner and a father of three, I have the privilege of helping numerous middle-aged families navigate the complexities of financial planning. Over the years, I've found that there are several key steps...