Updated December 2025 You have heard the old adage “Rags to Riches to Rags”, or “Shirtsleeves to Shirtsleeves in three generations”. It is not just a dynamic of western culture; it is actually an old Chinese proverb “Rice paddies to Rice paddies in three generations.” Breaking down the saying (1) The first generation strives to […]
More than 15 years after it was passed, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) — also glowingly or disparagingly referred to as “Obamacare,” depending on a person’s politics — has become a pawn, another arrow in the arsenal of weapons brandished between liberals and conservatives, legislators of all stripes, consumers and insurers. And […]
Updated April 2025 Volatility in the stock market is a measure of how much and how quickly share prices change over a relatively short period of time. Obvious examples of volatility include the stock market crash of 1929, Black Monday in 1987, and the financial crisis of 2008. The market experienced a lesser but significant […]
It’s human to be influenced by others — and often a healthy reflection of open-mindedness. And the power of influence when it helps snag a sale, win an election, or even make a simple decision is generally applauded. But problems arise when the influence is “undue” — when one person actually usurps another person’s free […]
More seniors are taking care of business by making legal documents specifying that their money, property and medical care be managed and distributed as they direct. But as their numbers have swelled, so have the challenges by outsiders — usually family members spoiling for a fight — that they lacked the mental capacity required for […]
Everyone has a filing system of some sort for important documents and papers. Yours may be carefully organized by subject matter in drawers or folders, or it may simply be in piles on the desk or, more likely, on the floor. It may look systematic or totally disorganized, but either way you usually know exactly […]
Sound like a strange combination? Not really. Here’s why. Rose and George are in their early 60’s and have worked all of their lives. The magic day of retirement has come: kids are married, Rose and George have saved their money by living in a rented house, and are ready to depart the snowy Midwest. […]
Even though you have signed your will, and even if you also set up a living trust, your estate planning is not complete. You still need to address several “what ifs”. In fact, these “what ifs” are important for people of all ages to address, not just the elderly or those worried about elderly parents. […]