By: Laura Walton AFC® You wouldn’t expect Bob Swift to send out the typical holiday letter – oh no! Not only does he have fun with it but it’s the Swift family budget…from 1992. Fun aside, the charitable contributions line prompts me to remind you that you can choose to re-direct tax dollars owed to…
By: Laura Walton AFC® Yes, there really is a Camp Mustache! This financial getaway attracts those who are super interested in saving, investing and retiring early a la Mr. Money Mustache. Two graduates of our 3rd DecadeTM program attended Camp Mustache – here’s their story: “Our journey into Mustachianism started many years ago. What’s Mustachianism? It’s “a…
By: Laura Walton AFC® Do you track your net worth? It’s a great way to measure financial health and progress. We update net worth statements each time we meet with 3rd Decade clients and when I noticed that one couple’s net worth had gone from -$18k to +$128k in just under two years, I was curious…
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…
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® Doesn’t that sound somehow better than “retirement plan?” We’re just back from the UK where I picked up a local paper at the airport. The iNews Money column responded to a person dissatisfied with his pension scheme which he described as “extremely poor value for the money.” He wondered if he…
By: Laura Walton AFC® I was sent to the principal’s office in the sixth grade – my skirt was too short. On the ride home, my mother alternated her anger between me and the school. I found that confusing but today I feel the same way about the cost of a college education. I get…
In March I went back east to visit my elderly parents. My father, now 94, one of the few remaining WWII veterans, still remembers the Great Depression. He’d never experienced a Starbucks coffee. It was time. Three small Starbucks drinks were ordered: 2 tall vanilla lattes, and 1 black coffee. As my Dad looked on,…