Financial Advice & Planning for
Millennials & Young Professionals

Millennials often get a bad rap. They’re generalized into a group of espresso-sipping, basement-dwelling handout-seekers. And for some in that generation, it’s true—but there’s also those “millennials” that are out doing great things. Unique things. Innovative things. They’re ignoring the stereotype and redefining their lives with purpose and passion.

These are the millennials and young professionals that we work with—and if you’ve come this far, it’s probably you too.

Our advisors help show you what you can’t yet see, but will become very clear 20-30-40 years down the road. That means we help you understand the cost of some decisions and the greater value of deferred gratification. Laying the groundwork and starting to plan now will have a profound impact on your future. That initiative, is what separates you from that generational herd.

Take the first step, request a call or appointment and one of our advisors will reach out.

Retirement Planning

Starting saving the right way, right now.

Debt Reduction

Strategies for paying off debt faster.

Saving for the Future

House, car, wedding—it all starts with automated savings.

Common Financial Questions from Millennials & Young Professionals

  • How do I lower my student loan debt?

  • How do I start saving and investing?

  • How can I save for _______?

  • How do I create a budget and track my spending?

  • What job benefits are best?

Financial Advice for
Millennials & Young Professionals

barron's top financial advisors 2024
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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…
woman exercising

Don’t Overthink It

With January behind us, how are your New Year’s resolutions going? Mid-February is typically when gym attendance returns to normal, as people remember how hard it is to maintain healthy habits. But goals aren’t limited to the gym; many make…
coffee and pad of paper
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45 Years, 25 Lessons

A few weeks ago I attended the retirement party of someone I’ve called a dear friend for over 49 years. Long ago, we were both young financial advisors chasing similar career paths. We even migrated to independent businesses around the same…
fortune teller sign

Forecasting: An Illusion of Knowledge

Have you ever tried shaking one of those magic eight balls found in the toy aisle? You know the gist: Ask a random but important question like, “Will the Broncos win the Super Bowl this year?” Then get a generic answer like, “Ask again…
scale in a window

Financial and Time Independence: What’s Your Score?

My business coach, Dan Sullivan, often speaks of freedoms. It’s his belief that entrepreneurs create and own businesses primarily for the freedom to conduct business in their own unique way. They often aren’t seeking freedom “from”…
wright brothers

Two Lessons from History

As a child, I found history class to be an insufferable bore. The study of people well before my time in circumstances far different than anything I would likely encounter seemed like an act in futility. But age brings wisdom, and as a chronologically…
brooklyn bridge
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The Balance of Trust and Anxiety

At the time of its construction, the Brooklyn Bridge was one of the largest structures the world had ever seen. Opening in 1883 to connect Brooklyn with Manhattan, it was twice the size of any other suspension bridge. But the then-modern marvel…
Capitol Building

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. 
conversation at sunset

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.
rail yard

The “Personal” in Personal Finance

During a recent new client meeting, we had a couple tell us they had purchased property in north Denver several years ago. What was once a run-down area in the stockyards has now become a hot market, with development skyrocketing as the neighborhood reinvents itself.
Campbells Chicken Noodle Soup
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Growing Our Way Out of Inflation

With fall in full swing and snow adorning the mountain tops, I turn to a classic dish for a little winter comfort: Campbell's Tomato Soup. First introduced in 1895, the can would don its familiar red and white label in 1898 after an executive…
apple

The Way Out of Inflation

Imagine the entire economic output of the United States is measured in apples. For the sake of simplicity, let’s say our country produced ten apples in 2021. Collectively, we had $10 to spend on those ten apples. As a result, each apple costs $1. Simple right?
chalkboard displaying formula
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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:…
bear in the woods

Overcoming Bear Market Mindsets

The S&P 500 is down about 24% as of October 3, 2022, effectively creating a new low for the year and placing it well within a bear market by the traditional definition of 20%. The NASDAQ is down about 33%, and the DOW is down about 20%. Any…
waves near lighthouse
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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.
pumping gas
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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.
cash register

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…
golf ball near hole

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…
endurance runner

Improving Investor Behavior: The Strength of Endurance

My coach Dan Sullivan likes to say, "Amateurs practice until they get it right; professionals practice until they can't get it wrong." From athletics to engineering, medicine to money management, consistent practice is the secret sauce of…
roller coaster

Improving Investor Behavior: Mindsets During Volatile Times

If you're an investor (and I hope you are), it's probably time for a mental check-in. How are you today? How do you feel about everything going on in the world?
classroom
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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.
arrows

Correcting the Word: Correction

The markets are off to a rough start for 2022, with the S&P 500 down about 13.9 percent from its peak in January, according to data from LPL Financial. Global turmoil, inflation, supply chain disruption, and the Federal Reserve are all…
anne schieber portrait

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…
tiramisu
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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.…
cash register

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.

Understanding Your Stock Compensation Sure is “Something”

Have you ever ignored doing something you knew that you should do? What “something” immediately came to mind when I asked that question? Its OK. We all do it. Maybe that something you're ignoring is uncomfortable to face, maybe it's boring,…

ABC (and D)’s of Equity Compensation

Congratulations! If you’re reading this article you’ve likely been offered some form of equity compensation. Perhaps as a new employee, business partner, or the like. While this compensation isn’t as straightforward as a simple number…
thanksgiving dinner

Improving Investor Behavior: A Mentality of Abundance, Not Excess

We've often said time is our most precious resource. More valuable than money, more fleeting than possessions, nothing can be done to stop the spending of our time. But like money and possessions, having too much time can be a bad thing.  I'm…
signpost in front of sunset
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Improving Investor Behavior – Feeling Confident? Are You Sure?

I’ve contributed to the Denver Post monthly for a while now, and I’m grateful for readers who have reached out to me with thoughts, comments, and questions. Some about my writing, the market, and broader topics like the meaning of wealth…
contractors working on a house

How Do You Measure Your Wealth?

How do you measure your wealth? Most people assume there are two typical ways. The first is a simple money calculation that takes everything you own, subtracts everything you owe, and that formula gives you your net worth. Simple. Others say wealth is not a measure of the money one has but of the intangibles such as relationships, time, health, etc. 
apples in a basket

Rising Dividends: The Ultimate Inflation Fighter

Two things should matter to retirees and near-retirees: income from investments, businesses, or social security, and how far that income goes to purchase goods and services. Taken in tandem, these elements will define the success of your…
man praying on top of mountain
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Improving Investor Behavior – Deciding on Enough!

At a party given by a billionaire on Shelter Island, the late Kurt Vonnegut informed his friend author Joseph Heller that their host, a hedge fund manager, had made more money in a single day than Heller had earned from his wildly popular…
piggy bank

5 Important Actions To Take During Financial Literacy Month

Happy Financial Literacy Month! Financial literacy is the ability to understand your comprehensive financial situation and make effective, optimal decisions using all the financial resources you have available. Financial literacy is a lifelong…
Spring Flowers

Improving Investor Behavior: This Spring, Grow Your Garden and Your Finances

Spring puts me in a mood to organize the yard. It's nature's way of encouraging people to clean out the clutter and ready the garden for new growth. This approach is a good way to view your finances as well. Take a step back and look at your…
Steve Booren named a Barron's Top Advisor
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Press Release: Steve Booren Recognized by Barron’s as a 2021 Top Financial Advisor

DENVER, Colo.— March 25, 2021 – Steve Booren, an independent LPL Financial advisor in Greenwood Village, has been recognized as one of the 2021 Top 1,200 Financial Advisors in America, as ranked by Barron’s. Booren, Founder of Prosperion…
Forbes Best In State Wealth Advisor Steve Booren
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PRESS RELEASE: Steve Booren Recognized in Forbes as a 2021 Best-in-State Wealth Advisor

DENVER, Colo. — February 11, 2021 – Steve Booren of Prosperion Financial Advisors was recently ranked No. 34 in Colorado in the 2021 Best-In-State Wealth Advisors list published by Forbes.   According to Forbes, the annual list spotlights…
pathway to 2021

It’s A New Year! Is It Time To Reevaluate Your Financial Plan?

A new year is often a time for fresh starts, intentional planning, and renewed motivation to conquer goals and accomplish things that are important to you. And after the year we just had, a fresh start is just what we need. As you transition…
Marquis displaying "The World is Temporarily Closed"

Improving Investor Behavior – Hindsight in 2020

They say hindsight is 20/20, and as we make the year 2020 hindsight, it's a good time to reflect. What did we learn? What surprised us? How can we use our past to make our future bigger and better? It was former Secretary of Defense Donald…
Capitol Building

What Are You Doing on November 4th?

Election Day, Tuesday November 3rd, is only a week away. While 2020 has been historic, it seems that everyone has a dramatic expectation of what will happen in the investment markets, as if it will be the "next" big 2020 disruption. This morning…
I voted stickers
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Improving Investor Behavior: Keep Politics Out of Your Portfolio

With the election a short 45 days away, the news stream is unrelenting. Political TV ads, postcards, and of course those phone calls during the dinner hour - it’s an all-out media assault designed to convince you that if the “other guy”…
Person holding viewing glasses

Improving Investor Behavior: Blind Spots & Confirmation Bias

We talk a lot about perspective in this article. Our perspective is the lens through which we view the world. It is our way of framing everything we see and ultimately defines how we react to what life throws at us. We believe what we believe…
Friends enjoying a picnic in a New York park
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Getting Back to Better

My goal as a parent has always been to build a better future for my kids, and to give them opportunities that I didn’t have. Whether that’s financial, educational, personal, or whatever it may be. It’s an essential part of my “why.” I think deep down there’s a part of us that wants our kids to be better than we ever were. To me, that’s progress and hope. It’s an innate and immeasurable desire - to want our tomorrow to be better than our today.
Face mask made to look like the American flag

Improving Investor Behavior: An Unintentional Sabbatical

Has it been a month already? In some ways, this feels like the longest 30 days many have ever experienced. For others, it seems to have gone by way too quickly. When much of the world is committed to staying home and avoiding COVID-19, time…
Buttons to report a fire or call police
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Fire Drills and Why We Do Them

Every meeting we have with clients includes a line item on the agenda: Fire Drill.  What would you do if the market dropped significantly tomorrow? What would that look like for you? For years now it has felt like an unnecessary discussion…
The Cycle of Market Emotions

Timeless Truths & The Cycle of Market Emotions

Just 30 days ago, on Feb. 18th, markets were at all-time highs. Today, fear grips the market and recession is at the top of every financial pundits’ mind. Benjamin Graham, said to be one of the best investors of all time, and a mentor to Warren Buffett reminds us: Control what you can control: yourself, your emotions and your response (or behavior) to those emotions.
Emergency Exit Sign
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Improving Investor Behavior – Investing in Panic

A lot can change in 30 days. One short month ago, markets were knocking on the door of all-time highs, businesses were doing well, and Joe Biden was behind several candidates in the Democratic primaries. Oh, how things change quickly. Very…
Rollercoaster
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A Note to Clients on Virus Volatility

As I’m sure many of you are aware, this past week has been a difficult one for investors. The broad market indices have seen swift and dramatic drops, leaving many scared, confused, and upset. Make no mistake; it is moments like these that define all of us as investors. Fear is an emotion, and one that can quickly snowball into an all-out panic. We’ve often said your behavior as an investor will ultimately have a far greater effect on your outcome than when or how you are invested. This is one such moment.
Campbells Chicken Noodle Soup
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Improving Investor Behavior – Campbell’s Soup & Rising Income

Cold winter weather means it is soup season here in Colorado, and none feel more familiar than Campbell’s Tomato Soup. Campbell’s tomato soup is an excellent benchmark for understanding the impact of the persistent enemy of all investors: inflation. For more than 100 years, the size hasn’t changed, but the price sure has. About 45 years ago, in 1974, the soup cost about $0.12 per can. Today, it retails for about $0.87 per can. That points to an average inflation rate of 4.3 percent. Forty-five years may sound like a long time, but that’s about the length of a typical retirement.
Best in state wealth advisors
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PRESS RELEASE: Steve Booren Recognized in Forbes as a 2020 Top Wealth Advisor in Colorado

DENVER, Colo. — January 30, 2020 – Steve Booren of Prosperion Financial Advisors was recently ranked No. 26 in Colorado in the 2020 Best-In-State Wealth Advisors list published by Forbes. According to Forbes, the annual list spotlights…
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The Decade in Review

As financial advisors we’re constantly advocating for investors to maintain a long-term view. We consider it to be fundamental, not only as an example of good investor behavior, but as a way of minimizing the emotional toll of “riding the rollercoaster”. But what does it mean to have a long-term perspective? How long is long enough?
Man with his hands over his eyes
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Improving Investor Behavior – The World’s Worst Market Timer

Do you ever feel “the curse” of investing at precisely the wrong point? Like you invested too late, at the wrong time, or maybe you’re just unlucky? Let me introduce you to Bob – the World’s Worst Market Timer.
Person holding a TV remote

Improving Investor Behavior: Investing time now will pay dividends later

The average American spends more than 85 hours per month watching TV. The same person will likely spend about 265 hours sleeping and 228 hours working. Know how much time they’ll spend working on their finances? About 1.8 minutes, (yes, that works out to 96 seconds) per day.
Knife digging into a log
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Improving Investor Behavior: The Sharp Knife of Compound Interest

As investors, we seek to understand and control compound interest. Like the knife, when used correctly, compound interest is a powerful tool. Even better, the three variables behind compound interest can be put to work for anyone, regardless of income or amount saved.
Alarm clock sitting on a table

Improving Investor Behavior: The Price of Time

Money is a resource; there can always be more of it. But time is finite, and there is no getting it back once it’s gone… or is there?
Rack of comic books

Improving Investor Behavior: Strengthen Your Financial Superpowers

My son and I were in the car driving to the store as he struggled to plug in his phone with a USB cable. He flipped the cable back and forth a few times before it finally slipped in. “If I had a superpower, I hope it would be to knowing…
8 Best Financial Apps

Improving Investor Behavior – Managing Your Time Like Money

As a financial advisor, I am typically hired by clients to help them manage their resources. Most often, these are financial resources including cash, investments, etc. Sometimes I help people to manage their business resources such as connecting…
8 Best Financial Apps

Improving Investor Behavior – Learn to Love a Falling Market

The financial markets have given investors quite a ride in the past few months. Not only have we seen a drop in the prices, but the volatility and multiple-percentage point days seems to have investors feeling a little seasick. The first thing…
8 Best Financial Apps

Improving Investor Behavior – Fear of Missing Out

When you are stuck in traffic on the interstate, creeping along, do you find yourself wanting to switch from one lane to another? Do you glance to the left and see the “fast lane,” and are envious of how quickly they are moving? You look…
8 Best Financial Apps

Improving Investor Behavior – The Prosperity Mindset

Wealth is a mindset. In my years as a financial advisor I’ve worked with many wealthy individuals who have everyday-type jobs. From bus drivers to teachers, entrepreneurs to an administrative assistant at the Chamber of Commerce, I’ve…
8 Best Financial Apps

Improving Investor Behavior – Make Steady Savings Your Strategy

There’s $15 on the line, and your buddy is stepping up to a 10 footer for a birdie on the 18th hole. It’s a slippery putt, but not slippery enough. As he takes his shot, human nature kicks in. “Miss it, miss it,” we say to ourselves.…

Social Media – Helping or Hurting Your Investment Behavior?

During a recent client meeting we ended up on the subject of social media, and the effect it can have on a business. Unfavorable press coverage led to an echo of bad news on social media among this client’s customers, and it was continuing to harm his business with no end in sight. I was curious about the public’s persistent reaction, and why he believed the story was still in the news cycle many weeks later. Was his customer base being fickle? Were competitors spreading false and redundant stories? His response: social media. Once a key marketing strategy for his company, social media has quickly turned into a sore spot.
The Future of Denver's Skyline
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The Future of Denver’s Skyline

Explore the unique history of Denver as told by one of its eminent urban planners Ken Schroeppel. Why did Denver take the shape it did? What will it look like in the next 10 years? Why is the traffic so darn bad lately? Ken will explore all of these ideas and more as he walks you through new projects helping to shape the face of Denver and how past initiatives contributed to our wonderful city. This workshop was originally presented at Prosperion EDU 16.

Confusing Volatility and Risk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQrmzEwo_Cg I believe it is imperative for investors to understand the difference between volatility and risk. Though often used synonymously, these are two very distinct ideas. We think success can be increased…
Millionaire in the Making
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Now Available: Millionaire in the Making by John Booren

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbq1ck-bSTk In the last year, I’ve had the realization that there are far too many people living in the most financially impactful years of their lives who lack the necessary planning and guidance to make…
How to Invest for Income
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How to Invest for the Goal of Growing Income

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqYGlBUN_Ns Why do you invest? It’s a simple question, but one so few people consider. Investors often fail to understand their reason for making investments, for saving money, or for what they invest in.…
5 Investing Principles
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Back to Basics – 5 Investing Principles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnjtzOVuQoU If January taught us anything, it was that 2013 was truly an exceptional year for the equity market averages. Falling uncertainty, solid corporate earnings, and a rebounding economy all contributed…
Post College Financial Advice
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Getting Ready to Graduate? Post-College Financial Advice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8wBkORR3Gw When I think of what I would share with a recent college grad, saving comes first to my mind. When a person is young they have a distinct advantage – time. In the financial world, we use something…
8 Best Financial Apps
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The 8 Best Financial Apps for Money-Conscious People

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZUs-7kE_00 You’d be hard-pressed to find someone without a smartphone or tablet these days. Companies like Apple and Samsung have redefined how we communicate, what we rely on, and our ability to access information.…
8 Best Financial Apps
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7 Money Musts for College Students

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4LNvy9FfbU As the flurry of excitement winds down for those heading back to college, the realization starts to settle in: college is expensive. The costs don’t stop with tuition fees. From book costs to…
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Securities, Financial Planning, and Advisory Services offered through LPL Financial. A Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. Prosperion Financial Advisors is not an affiliate of LPL Financial. The LPL Financial Representatives associated with this website may discuss and/or transact securities business only with residents of the following states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WY.