Christmas is often viewed as a season of extravagance. It conjures up visions of overflowing tables, full calendars, homes decorated to the nines, and of course stacks of gifts under the tree. Yet the original Christmas story is strikingly different. It was defined not by excess or luxury, but by [...]
It is always interesting meeting with couples to discuss their financial situation. Often, it feels as if the conversation they are having in front of me is the first one they have had together about money in a long time. This is unfortunate because money conversations are not just mathematical [...]
Every November, we kick off the holiday season by celebrating Thanksgiving. It is an occasion rooted not only in gratitude but in the enduring human desire to build a better life. The very first Thanksgiving, which occurred in 1621, wasn’t simply a harvest festival; it was the culmination of a [...]
Being properly insured is one of the most important steps anyone can take toward financial security. Yet it is also one of the most confusing areas of personal finance. The combination of high stakes and high complexity often leads people to make poor decisions about how best to protect themselves [...]
I know it probably goes without saying, but most of the stuff we buy today costs way too much. It wasn’t that long ago that inflation was nearly non-existent. For the decade prior to Covid, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by an average of just 1.8% a year. Since [...]
My family has started to complain about the amount of pork and chicken we’re eating. As the primary grocery shopper and cook in our home, I’ve made the decision to buy much less beef lately. Prices seem to climb higher every week, and it’s becoming harder to justify. These rising [...]
Last week, Kansas City officials announced a hiring freeze to address a projected $100 million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2027. When asked about the decision, Mayor Quinton Lucas explained that there is a fundamental “mismatch between income and expenses.” He attributed much of the growing deficit to the rising [...]
As football season kicks into high gear, I know some of you here in Missouri may be chomping at the bit to place a wager on your favorite team, especially with sports betting set to become legal in our state on December 1. It’s been remarkable to watch how quickly [...]
As many of you know, several weeks ago the Federal Reserve, under Chairman Jerome Powell, announced a quarter-percent cut to its key interest rate, the first of 2025. Both in announcing this cut and in later remarks, Powell emphasized that the Fed intends to move cautiously, balancing the risk of [...]
Why Chasing Performance Can Hurt Your Returns This year has been a roller coaster for investors. From steep losses in the early months to meteoric gains since April, 2025 has tested investors’ nerves. With a positive swing of nearly 30% in the last six months, it’s easy to feel tempted [...]
