Financial Planning
Those that Wait…
This past week, we went school supply shopping. Nevermind that my kids don’t actually go back to school until September 6th, and we are still happily enjoying the hazy, hot, humid days of our Virginia summer. But, last year, we waited until the last week of August to start gearin
Nathan GilbertAug 3, 2016Butchers and Brokers
As Nathan wrote about a couple of months ago, in April 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) passed regulations in requiring all financial advisors to act as fiduciaries in dealing with client retirement plans. This rule was aimed squarely at the brokerage industry which had been o
Nathan GilbertJul 20, 2016The Second Brexit
Last week, Britain voted to leave the European Union, rebelling against unfair taxation and arbitrary laws from policymakers across the sea. This historic move was labeled “Brexit” by the media. Ironically, this past July 4th weekend we celebrate the United States declaring indep
Nathan GilbertJul 5, 2016Navigating with Meridian(s)
This past week, I was blessed to be able to spend some time at the beach with my kids. It always amazes me to stand with my feet in the surf and look out across the vast ocean. Such infinite possibilities, but so very scary to traverse. Ever since I read The Wave about giant […]
Nathan GilbertJun 21, 2016Serenity Now
I love reading. I like knowing things, so I read all sorts of books, magazines, trade journals, etc. Actually (sadly?), for my birthday and mother’s day, my kids have my husband take them to the grocery store, and they buy random magazines as my gifts. (And I love it.) And, as mo
Nathan GilbertMar 15, 2016Making Beer Myself
A friend of mine recently gave me a home beer brewing kit, and while I don’t have any frame of reference, I can tell it’s probably a nice one. 15 years ago, I would have viewed this kit and its potential reward very differently. Meaning, now that I have three children and a busin
Nathan GilbertMar 8, 2016Brain Hijack
This year it has been hard not to notice the stock market volatility—one day it is wildly up, the next day it is wildly down. In a recent market recap, JP Morgan notes that, so far in 2016, there have been 23 days with movements in the S&P 500 of over 1% (up or down)—which […]
Nathan GilbertMar 1, 2016“Are Your Legs Tired…”
…is the start of just one of many cheesy pick-up lines to start a conversation and hopefully find a love connection. If such a connection should spark, then the conversation typically gravitates towards family and friends, career and hobbies, etc. Interestingly, recent research p
Nathan GilbertFeb 17, 2016Florida and Freakonomics
Entirely missing all of the Snowzilla fun; I just returned late last week from the Inside ETFs conference in Hollywood, Florida. This conference is one of my favorite events all year—and not only because going to Florida in January should be a requirement for all of us in the DC
Nathan GilbertFeb 2, 2016Patience and Planning
Over the past few weeks, I have been reminded of the importance of both patience and planning in three key parts of my life. The first was traveling with my 6-year-old son. Normally, I would look forward to the opportunity for just he and I to travel without the rest of the famil
Nathan GilbertJan 27, 2016Christmas Town and Failure to Plan
This past weekend, we took our family to Busch Garden’s Christmas Town for the first time. As you probably expect, I usually plan our excursions with military precision, being a planner by trade and all. But this time, I decided to wing it. The park opened at 2pm, but we chose to
Nathan GilbertDec 21, 2015Parents: Ask Santa for a College Savings Contribution
If your children are anything like mine, they already have way too much “stuff” and are likely to get much more in the coming month. My wife has already started hiding boxes in our unfinished basement, and it certainly appears as though Santa will get a lot of credit yet again! W
Sarah YakelDec 2, 2015