By: Laura Walton AFC® My blog on home affordability took me to the tech startup Divvy which led me to Max Levchin of HVF Labs who somehow juggles a smorgasbord of tech startups, board positions, wife, kids and 800 emails a day. I was left with the nagging question “How does one person pull all…
By: Laura Walton AFC® Innovators respond to market inefficiencies. As affordability has become more of an issue in the housing market, we’re seeing entrepreneurs offering creative options. Heard of Divvy? Born in a Bay Area tech incubator and launched in January of this year, Divvy raised $7M in funding for the purpose of “giving customers the flexibility…
By: Laura Walton AFC® How you react to money and financial issues is both unique to you and critical to your long-term financial success. This is the heart of behavioral economics. Take this test to better understand yourself. I’ve replicated the short five question test from “Simple but Not Easy,” Morningstar’s Guide to Helping Investors Overcome…
By: Laura Walton AFC® We’re hearing more and more about this in the news – how hard it is to buy that first home. I remember looking for my first home in Tucson in 1975. We bought the $32,000 condo instead of the $50,000 home we wanted because it’s what we could afford. The numbers,…
By: Laura Walton AFC® Do you believe in the Rule of Three? Those who do believe that both good things and bad things come in threes – apparently scams do also as three have recently come across my desk. The first one looked like an invoice for our Foundation. We’re in the process of trademarking the…
“This nonprofit will give you $1,000 if you take a few personal finance classes” was the recent headline. The article generated a couple hundred emails and calls which kick started the Foundation’s goal of offering its signature 3rd DecadeTM classes in each of the six markets served by our offices. We quickly committed to 3rd DecadeTM classes starting in…
A Regional Director for Dimensional Fund Advisors responded to last week’s blog, Jump or Wade, with several powerful graphs looking back at historical market moves. These eight graphs help us put today’s investing climate into perspective. And, last but not least, have a plan: NOTE: TCI Wealth Advisor clients have access to funds offered by Dimensional Fund Advisors.
By: Laura Walton AFC® Is now a good time to invest in the stock market? I’m asked this question more often these days. The market has steadily increased in value over the last several years. Will it continue? What should I do? Start by reviewing your plan. Because your plan reflects your circumstances and goals,…
By: Laura Walton AFC® Yogi Berra quipped “If you don’t know where you’re going, you end up somewhere else.” That’s a good argument for having a plan whether it’s for your career or your next vacation. Fundamental to your plan is imagining your future and, it turns out, we’re not very good at that. In Dan…
By: Laura Walton AFC® A folly, sometimes called an eyecatcher, is a building with no purpose other than to enhance a view on the grounds of a castle or large estate in 18th century England. The folly at Blair Atholl Castle in Scotland was nothing more than something to look at out the castle window over…