Financial Planning
Feelin’ Good
In the investment world, much has been made lately of the divergence between hard data about the U.S. economy and so-called “soft data”, which deals more with how people feel about the economy. In this chart from Morgan Stanley, you can see the large gap between how consumers and
Sarah YakelMay 9, 2017March for Babies
This past Sunday, I was fortunate enough to chair and participate in the Prince William March for Babies. Obviously, supporting at-risk moms, premature births, and prenatal and postpartum care are incredible and worthy causes. March of Dimes helps to fund research on all of these
Nathan GilbertMay 2, 2017Giving Giving a Second Thought
Our community’s biggest day of giving is rapidly approaching—Give Local Piedmont is one week from today on May 2, 2017. Last year, this 24 hour giving contest raised over $879,000 for over 60 local charities. At Meridian, we love this day as the generous spirit of our community i
Nathan GilbertApr 25, 2017
How to Track and Plan Your Expenses
I’ve been having a lot of conversations recently about budgeting—not because our clients are awful at it, but because it is helpful to get a handle on how much things cost every month when we are working on planning. For those starting out, it is helpful to know how much those ne
Nathan GilbertMar 28, 2017Friendly Reminder: The markets do go down
As we enter the 8th (!) year of a bull market for the S&P 500, it is days like today (Tuesday, March 21st) that remind us that markets can still go down. While I will not claim to know exactly when the current bull market will end, I do know that it will end at […]
Nathan GilbertMar 22, 2017Driving Too Fast Down a Snowy Mountain
On the way back to the airport from our recent ski trip, we encountered somewhat unexpected snow on the way down the mountain to the “valley.” That is if you count being one mile above sea-level a valley. My father-in-law was driving a recently purchased Suburban, and doing it qu
Nathan GilbertMar 7, 2017When Doves Cry
2016 was a tough year for celebrity deaths—between Carrie Fisher, David Bowie, Florence Henderson, and Muhammed Ali, it seemed we lost an icon monthly. One death that shook the music world was Prince in April 2016, and settling his estate has been a case study for the importance
Nathan GilbertFeb 28, 2017Risky Business
As my family and I enjoy a ski trip over President’s Day weekend, risk is frequently on my mind. As an overly-paranoid father, skiing with your young son can be quite stressful, and while I cannot eliminate all risk of injury, there are some precautions that can be taken. The fir
Nathan GilbertFeb 21, 2017The Perfect Match
Today is Valentine’s Day—the day we celebrate love and the pursuit of living happily ever after in a loving, long-term relationship. However, it is tough to find THE ONE—often you have to kiss a lot of frogs to finally meet the perfect match. In a weird way, finding your financia
Nathan GilbertFeb 14, 2017I heart Tom Brady (even as a Redskins fan)
If you are one of the 111 million people that watched the Super Bowl on Sunday night, you were treated to one of the best comebacks of all time (if not the best). Whether you love or hate the Patriots, Bill Belichik , and/or Tom Brady, you can’t help but admire their accomplishme
Nathan GilbertFeb 7, 2017Reflections
I just returned from an annual investment conference in Florida—it is one of my favorite to attend, not only because it is oceanside in Florida in January, but also because of the great content and cutting edge investment strategies that are discussed. This year was no exception—
Nathan GilbertJan 31, 2017When Should You Claim Social Security Benefits?
Of all the questions our clients face, this is certainly one of the most perplexing. Timing when to claim social security benefits has a significant and permanent impact on your retirement cash flow. In weighing your decision, consider your health outlook and longevity expectatio
Nathan GilbertJan 24, 2017