Tag Archive for: Families & Newlyweds

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Finding Financial Happiness, Part 2

Last month we discussed how Americans are still overwhelmingly dissatisfied with their finances, despite record net worth and increased income. That conversation focused on spending, and how increased inflation in housing, groceries and other…
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PRESS RELEASE: Steve Booren Recognized as One of America’s Top Financial Advisors by Barron’s

Denver, Colo. — March 25, 2024 – Steve Booren, an independent LPL Financial advisor in Greenwood Village, Colorado, has been honored as one of Barron’s 2024 Top 1,200 Financial Advisors in America, an initiative to connect investors to…
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The Problem with Pessimism

With markets improving and the overall economy strengthening, why is everyone so negative about our country’s current financial state? By many measures, I believe our economy is far better than people’s sentiment toward it. The last two…
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The SECURE Act 2.0 Proposes Several Changes to How Americans Save for Retirement

The SECURE 2.0 Act aims to expand retirement savings options for Americans. It includes provisions such as increasing the age for required minimum distributions, allowing long-term, part-time employees to participate in 401(k) plans, and creating…
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Bullish on Humility, Gratitude, and Discipline

It has been a year for humility as many of the traditional methods of managing risk inside portfolios have been taxed. It has been a year of consciously focusing on gratitude for all that we have and all that has gone well. It also has been a year where the value of our disciplined commitment to planning has never been more highlighted. 
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Focus on the “Personal” in Personal Finance

One of my favorite sayings is that personal finance is far more personal than it is finance. Simple math would tell you the wisest course of action is putting extra cash to work in the market, but the best advice isn’t always driven by cold hard math.
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My Formula for Building Wealth

Warren Buffett turned 92 on August 30th. Given his investment prowess and lifelong dedication to finance, it's incredible that most of his wealth (96%) was acquired after he turned 50. He attributes his success to a simple and salient truth:…
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Ready for a Recession?

Instead of suggesting the likelihood (or unlikelihood) of a recession, I'd like to offer this: If we ultimately experience a recession, consumers are in a far better position to weather the economic downturn than they have been in decades.
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The True Costs of Average Inflation

Inflation exists all around us and has only recently come to the forefront of the discussion for one simple reason: It’s not a few things getting expensive anymore; it’s everything. Or at least it feels that way.
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Improving Investor Behavior – Your Personal Economy

On August 10, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released updated inflation numbers. While the top line number of 8.5% is still large compared with this time a year ago, the markets and some media outlets latched onto another statistic…
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The Line Between Improvement and Satisfaction

Imagine today is your last day on earth. Not a pleasant thought but stick with me on this. Looking back on your life, what will you have accomplished to make you proud, happy, and content? Think about that for a second. The question is worded…
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Closing the Wealth Gap Starts with a High School Financial Literacy Requirement

What lessons do you wish you could teach your younger self? I hear many answers from people, but the most prominent is finance. I contend that we need to make personal finance a required subject for those graduating high school.
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The Gray Area of Good Investor Behavior

If you’re a frequent reader of this column, you know that I’m a large proponent of good investor behavior. Though I’ve spent a great number of column inches espousing the traits of investors I admire or those who have done well by adopting…
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Improving Investor Behavior: The Peloton and Tiramisu

If you're like me, you exercise a lot. Maybe not every day, but you try to hit the gym most days. You sweat, you grunt, you grind it out, every session. Exercise does two things: it makes you hungry, and it gives you a sense of pride or accomplishment.…
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The Flaw of Average Inflation

The flaw of averages is the idea that plans made based on average assumptions are wrong on average. As an example, think about the statistician that drowned while crossing a river that was, on average, three feet deep.