Money IQ
A Great Value
Shopping season is here—unless you are one of those super organized people who shop all year for Christmas and store up gifts in your hall closet, most of us spend December running around, looking for that special gift for those on our list, and hopefully finding a good deal as w
Nathan GilbertDec 13, 2016Free Lunch
This past week, the fact that I pay in advance for the kids to be able to order lunch at school was discussed in our car one morning. Ben, my youngest son, said “You pay for those lunches? I thought they were free.” To which my sassy ten year old daughter replied, “Seriously? Nob
Nathan GilbertOct 25, 2016Backup Plan? What Backup Plan?
Our household relies a lot on family and friends when it comes to help with our children. From making sure they are where they need to be, to checking that they are in the right clothes for whatever themed “day” there is at school, there is a lot that goes into keeping things run
Nathan GilbertOct 18, 2016The Copper Circle
This past Sunday, Sarah and I (and spouses) were fortunate enough to be part of The Copper Circle dinner at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas. We had some delicious food from Avalon Caterers and met some very nice and generous donors to The Center. Meridian Financial
Nathan GilbertSep 20, 2016Are you biased?
Every year, we return to the same condo at Sandbridge Beach—we enjoy the same activities as the year before, and we eat at the same favorite restaurants. It may sound boring, but our familiarity with the accommodations and the area relieves the stressful unknown of going somewher
Nathan GilbertAug 30, 2016Ryan Lochte and Fee Transparency
Ryan Lochte – Not Robbed at Gunpoint in Rio I will admit to using Ryan Lochte’s name as somewhat of an attention grabber. I will also admit to following his “story” at the Olympics in Rio quite closely. He is certainly the villain du jour for the moment and it seems deservedly so
Nathan GilbertAug 23, 2016The Certain Things in Life
As Ben Franklin famously said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” And, with Congress continually tinkering with the tax code, even that is less certain than the one inevitable fact of our own mortality. We don’t mean to get depressing or bl
Nathan GilbertMay 24, 2016Department of Labor AKA…
…Captain Obvious Good news everybody! Our friends at the Department of Labor (DOL) finalized a rule on Wednesday that requires financial advisors to act in the client’s best interest when giving retirement advice. While this seems like an obvious stance, the rule was put into pla
Nathan GilbertApr 19, 2016Spring Break, Part 2
Our family just returned from a long road trip through North Carolina—we explored from Asheville to Wilmington with many stops in between. I echo Nathan’s post last week—spring break with kids is not much of a “break!” But, we had a great time exploring our neighbor state… The Bi
Nathan GilbertApr 5, 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, 2016Where Are My Tax Forms?
It’s a question that we get asked every year right around this time, if not earlier. I once had a client ask about his tax forms for the prior year on January 2nd! While I admire people who want to get tax filing over with as soon as possible, is not realistic to expect your […]
Nathan GilbertFeb 23, 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, 2016