It would be difficult to be unaware of the debate surrounding health insurance today. As the Affordable Care Act jumps into the already-muddied waters surrounding health care and its rising costs, topics for debate and discussion are legion. One of these is the high deductible health plan, or HDHP. Simply put, HDHPs offer lower monthly premiums in return for significantly […]
[…] Read more:  5 Reasons I Love my High Deductible Health Plan

Target-Date Funds are a big topic in mutual funds right now, for investors and fund companies alike. Investors see them as a one-stop shop for retirement investing. Fund companies have found target-date funds to be a gold mine. Morningstar reports that target date funds account for one third of investment flows for companies that offer them. The concept of a […]
[…] Read more:  Target-Date Funds Take the Guesswork out of Retirement Investing

Let me say this up front. I think ETFs, or exchange-traded funds, are super cool. I have nothing against mutual funds – or any product, really – but I do have a thing for ETFs. Undoubtedly, I am not alone in this, but I feel compelled to confess my bias up front. ETFs and mutual funds offer the opportunity for […]
[…] Read more:  5 Ways ETFs are Different from Mutual Funds

                  Image credit: epSos.de Simplified lists that order investments by risk almost universally describe bond funds as less risky than equity funds, and often, this is true. But it isn’t categorically true, and that’s a problem for me. A novice may think he or she has enough information to reasonably conclude that any […]
[…] Read more:  Bonds as a safety net? Choose carefully.

I was listening to talk radio the other day (because pretty much all music these days is freaking miserable) and there was a guy who was trying to sell his “get rich quick with real estate” program. I wasn’t very interested in his real estate program, but I was really interested in his philosophy on money, because he summed it […]
[…] Read more:  It’s All About Creating Income

Saving money isn’t easy. When you get that paycheck on Friday and you’re ready to hit the town and have some fun, it takes a lot of discipline (or a ridiculously huge paycheck) to be willing to save a good chunk of that money. Some people know themselves well enough that they won’t voluntarily save money, so they come up […]
[…] Read more:  Force Yourself to Save

At work I’m in the process of setting developmental goals for myself for the next year, I’ve started looking into some TED talks about leadership and business effectiveness. Yes, I like this stuff. Yes, that’s a little weird. I came across a video that really shocked me. It’s called … You can watch the video here. Actually, I highly recommend you […]
[…] Read more:  Is Money Actually a Good Motivator?

New Year’s Day is right around the corner, which means a lot of us are going to start making resolutions. Some will decide to go to the gym, eat healthier, or maybe even get more strict with their budget. If you’re like my wife and I, we want to donate more money to charity. And when we say charity, we […]
[…] Read more:  How to Give When You Can’t Afford It

A few weeks ago I got married to the love of my life and it was truly the best day I’ve had in my 29+ years on this Earth. The day honestly went better than I expected and for the most part I couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out. Looking back on the day, I realize that there […]
[…] Read more:  Myths and Realites About Your Wedding

Most people are familiar with and/or pay for things such as medical insurance, homeowners or renters insurance, and car insurance. If you’re really savvy about your personal finances, you might even know about things like gap insurance on a new vehicle purchase or long term disability insurance to ensure you protect your income from a bad accident or disease. However, […]
[…] Read more:  3 Insurance Products You May Need But Didn’t Know Existed