Micro Financial Planning
I help my clients plan for the next 1-5 years. This was considered “short-term” planning in the world of personal finance. However, there is so much uncertainty in the world right now that planning for the future seems like an exercise in fantasy. Think back to a year ago… did you think 2020 would turn […]
Time to Sell?
My dad always tells me “Trees can’t grow to the sky.” But look at this picture. Despite a continued global pandemic, economic contraction and millions unemployed, the stock market keeps on going. Many of the companies for which my clients work has seen their equity values continue to increase since March 2020. Can this rise […]
Build Your Financial House
I have no idea where the phrase “getting your financial house in order” comes from. A quick Google search resulted in nothing useful. I guess the idiom makes sense since a house starts with blue print (plan) and is comprised of rooms that have purpose like a kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms (specific accounts or areas […]
When is Enough Enough?
In a culture of work and spend, there can be an endless search for more. However, research shows that money only affects emotional well-being or happiness up to an annual income of ∼$210,000 per family, or ~$275,000 when adjusted for the cost of living in the Bay Area. Too much money can actually have a negative […]
Magic of Money
I’ve noticed a trend in the last year that makes me think there is something magical happening. The trend is towards greater responsibility for one’s financial destiny. My newer clients aren’t playing the victim card of living in an expensive area. Instead, they are making decisions to lower spending and setting savings goals, which they […]
The Diligent Squirrels
It’s been seven years since I first met the Squirrel family, who live in San Francisco, have three children, aspirations of the best education for those children and a strong desire to be homeowners. With all of these goals, they seem to make the improbable possible. A family needs to make more than $250,000 per […]
Can Money Buy Happiness?
Can Money Buy Happiness In the last fifteen years, positive psychology has tried to tackle the question of “can money buy happiness” by studying people’s happiness levels along with changes in income levels. Also known as the “hedonic treadmill” theory, studies show that once your basic needs are met (clothing, shelter, food) that rich people […]
Inheritance- The Taboo Topic
As part of my client’s financial planning process, we discuss retirement and even the taboo topic of inheritance. There are three camps that most families with young children fall into: 1) They think they’ll get something, 2) Their parents are set with pensions and savings but there will not be anything left over for inheritance, […]
Time to Buy Real Estate?
Time to Buy Real Estate Market uncertainty, record low interest rates, lack of housing inventory, signs of economic recovery, increasing rents… When you put all of these together, what do you get? A lot of questions about whether this is the “perfect” time to buy or keep renting. I speak with a lot of people […]
Save Tomorrow
In order to save, you need to set your goal, put the infrastructure in place and set savings on autopilot. By setting this system up, you are automating savings and do not have to rely on will power to achieve your goals.
