facebook twitter instagram linkedin google youtube vimeo tumblr yelp rss email podcast phone blog search brokercheck brokercheck Play Pause

Brian's Blog: Click Here to Subscribe

Time is our most precious resource and I thank you for allowing me to get a few minutes of your time each week. I hope you find the blog helpful and informative. Send me an email if there is ever a topic you would be interested in learning more about. I will research it and write a future blog about it.

Tax Implications Of A Lifetime Monthly Pension Versus A One Time Lump Sum Cash Payment Thumbnail

Tax Implications Of A Lifetime Monthly Pension Versus A One Time Lump Sum Cash Payment

Retirement Funding Insights Minimizing Taxes In Retirement

Many of you will contemplate retirement this year and despite what the news is telling you, if you have a pension plan sometimes referred to as a defined benefit plan at your current employer, this could be a great time to retire. Most pension/defined benefit plans give you the option of taking a series of lifetime monthly payments or a one time lump sum cash payment. This is not a decision to take lightly or a decision to make quickly. This decision will affect you and your family for decades and even generations to come. And it has tax implications!

Read More
Investing Can Be Scary Especially During Scary Times Thumbnail

Investing Can Be Scary Especially During Scary Times
Retirement Funding Insights

The past two years have been the most terrifying years for investors since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-2009. First the pandemic, next a bitterly partisan presidential election and most recently a 40 year high inflation spike. You wouldn't be human if you haven't experienced market volatility fatigue and exhaustion at some point. I know I have. You might also not be human if after two years of this chaos you didn't want to ditch your financial plan and move all your investments to cash for "safety" and to get some rest from the constant volatility.

Read More
Could You Retire Now? Thumbnail

Could You Retire Now?
Retirement Funding Insights

Without a doubt this is the number one question and concern I hear from people in regards to retirement. So let's talk about this and see if you can retire and have enough money to retire without running out. I think these are questions I can answer with a certain amount of confidence and hopefully I can give you some clarification in the process.

Read More
Are Your Investments Performing Well? Thumbnail

Are Your Investments Performing Well?
Investment Retirement Funding

Performance calculations for a portfolio on a monthly statement can be very complex and over a 30-year retirement even totally meaningless. Remember as long-term goal-focused investors, we don’t chase performance, we chase outcomes. If your portfolio is up 25% this month or year congratulations! But will that matter in 15 years if you run out of money??? Retirement is a marathon, not a sprint.

Read More
The Noise Created By The 24 Hour News Cycle And Financial Journalism Thumbnail

The Noise Created By The 24 Hour News Cycle And Financial Journalism
Retirement Funding Insights

Every single day each one of us is inundated and sometimes overwhelmed by the tsunami of noise from the 24 hour "news" cycle. Much of it centers around timing of the market and the perfect selection of funds. The "experts" say things like "Big correction coming soon!" or "Here's the three next big technology stocks to jumpstart your portfolio!" and "Inflation is coming, buy gold now!" on and on and on.

Read More
11 Questions You Should Ask Any Financial Advisor You Interview Thumbnail

11 Questions You Should Ask Any Financial Advisor You Interview
Retirement Funding

I created this list as an education piece for any electric cooperative employee to use as they interview different financial advisors. My goal isn't that everyone who visits my site decides to work with me. My goal is to help you make an educated decision as you work through this process. If you are retiring soon or just exploring a relationship with a financial advisor, be sure to ask these 11 questions during the interview process. And interview at least three advisors. That should give you a good idea of whom you want to work with and why.

Read More
Why Is The Market Doing So Well lately? Thumbnail

Why Is The Market Doing So Well lately?
Investment Retirement Funding Insights

We’ve basically had a full blown bull market since the market bottom in March. The S&P has a positive 34% return in just two months. How does that make any sense at all? Unemployment is higher than any time since the Great Depression. The death toll from Covid-19 continues to climb slowly, and everybody still says that a vaccine is a year away at least. What gives? It seems like the market has become completely disconnected from reality.

Read More