Insights, Advice & a Whole Lot More
Do You Have A Plan By Chance?
Recently I had my first experience playing Blackjack at a casino. Anyone who knows me well knows that I don’t tend to gamble, mostly for the reason that winning requires skills, which I have not had the experience to acquire, and in my opinion a hefty dash of luck (although some
Sarah IrvingSep 28, 2021
What Happens When My Work Retirement Plan Dissolves?
We recently helped a business owner who is nearing retirement unwind his company’s work plan. This can happen for several reasons, but it is usually because the business is closing or the plan itself is ending. Either way, it’s important for the participants to know their options
Nathan GilbertSep 21, 2021
It’s Just Math
Schools are back in session, and for parents, the tradeoff of having kids at school all day is the added chore of helping kids do their homework at night. When the Yakel kids were in elementary school, it was sort of fun to feel smart helping with 3rd grade spelling or 2nd grade
Sarah YakelSep 14, 2021
5 Reasons You Need a Health Savings Account
Imagine for a second that you had a little financial fairy godmother sitting on your shoulder, promising to save you money on your healthcare expenses and help lower your taxes all while helping you invest for retirement. It would seem too good to be true, right? Well, here is th
Sarah YakelSep 7, 2021
Calling All Super Savers
Is there such a thing as overdoing it when it comes to contributing to your 401k / employer sponsored plan? If you are in the position to be questioning this, then congratulations, that is an excellent place to be financially! Obviously yes, there are limitations as to how much y
Sarah IrvingSep 1, 2021
Dealing with Uncertainty
TL;DR: more cute dog pics below 😊 Over our 20+ years in the industry, my partner Sarah Yakel and I have heard the refrain ‘I’ll get out of the market now and get back in when things look better’ countless times. In the least accusatory tone possible, that is almost never the rig
Nathan GilbertAug 24, 2021
Money and Happiness
The old adage of “Money Can’t Buy Happiness” has been tested in several high profile academic studies—the first major study was in 2010, when a paper was published that showed a correlation between higher household income and increased levels of satisfaction (happiness). That ori
Sarah YakelAug 17, 2021
Why Is Taking Financial Risk Important?
No matter where you are on your financial journey, controlling your finances is one of the most important things you can do for your future. While it’s challenging to break the cycle of living paycheck-to-paycheck or find money to invest when you’re supporting kids or helping agi
Sarah YakelAug 10, 2021
IPO FOMO
Our dog Dude is a reeling ball of energy, not surprising given his breed as a Blue Heeler and their intuitive need to be constantly occupied with a job or a purpose. As of right now we don’t have any field animals for him herd, so by default he has latched onto our two kids […]
Sarah IrvingAug 3, 2021
Contribute to Your Company Plan or IRA?
Short answer: Likely your company plan. Feel free to stop reading now! 😊 If you are employed and covered by a 401k, 403b, 457b, TSP, or some other unnecessarily complicated number/letter combination (qualified plans), then you should maximize contributions to that plan prior to
Nathan GilbertJul 27, 2021
Musings
What a difference a few months can make…with time, perspectives can change! From last quarter to this quarter, this happened: Bailey doubled in size. Here are a few other charts or images that caught our attention this past month and shifted or confirmed our perspectives: Large c
Sarah YakelJul 20, 2021
Asset Classes
What is an asset class? An asset class is a group of similar kinds of investments. It’s a generalization, not a detailed description, and can help you understand and manage your investments at a high level. The four main asset classes are: Stocks – when you buy a stock, you becom
Sarah YakelJul 13, 2021