Smooth Sailing
I hope you and yours enjoyed a blessed Thanksgiving Day last week. Yesterday was Giving Tuesday. If you have not participated yet, please join me and many others who give all year long. There is no end to the good that our contributions can do for those who have [...]
Thanksgiving is not a day but a mindset
It has been a long tradition in the Examiner for Ronald Finke to write a column of Thanksgiving every year. It’s something I personally always look forward to, and perhaps many of you do as well. That’s why I was very excited to be granted the privilege of writing this [...]
The American Dream is becoming a nightmare for too many young people
Recently, Investopedia made headlines with their findings on how much it actually costs to live the American Dream. According to the study, it costs roughly 4.4 million dollars to have all of the things traditionally viewed as part of living the dream. This includes such things as a home, a [...]
It’s not political
At times, some clients become quite concerned about election results and which party will supposedly be in charge for the next four years. Perhaps this is your feeling also. I am sure there will be exceptions, but my response is always that the political situation is not as important as [...]
Invest in a candidate, not in an election result
As I am writing this article, we are mere hours from the 2024 Presidential Election. As you are reading this, I truly hope a winner has been determined and regardless of the outcome, that both candidates have accepted the voice of the people, and we can move on together as [...]
Nuclear energy has crossed the Rubicon
Nuclear energy has crossed the Rubicon as big tech has made it clear that, to usher in the future of technology and AI, it needs the reliable and clean energy that nuclear power plants provide. In a hugely symbolic deal, Microsoft recently partnered with Constellation Energy to restart the largest [...]
How a personal tragedy gave me the opportunity to refocus
Last week, I wrote about the importance of having insurance because you never know when you might be the victim of a tragic event. Little did I know less that seven days later I would experience a real-life example of this. Sunday afternoon while my wife and I were on [...]
As cost of severe storms increase, you must be prepared
The past few weeks have seen multiple hurricanes ravage the southeast portion of the United States, with states like Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas worst hit. I wish I could say the severity and frequency of these storms are anomalies, but sadly they are becoming the norm. According to the [...]
Going with economic data or going with your instincts
This past Friday, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released its job numbers for September. To the surprise of many experts, the labor market added 254,000 jobs. This was substantially higher than the projected 150,000. Revisions to July and August numbers resulted in an additional 72,000 jobs for those months [...]
If you’re retired you may owe less state tax in 2024
I know many of you don’t want to hear this, but it’s about that time of year again. Time to start thinking about end of year tax planning. If you are retired or receiving Social Security benefits there are actually some things to be excited about as you project what [...]