BUY VOLVOS. THEY'RE BOXY BUT THEY'RE GOOD. My job is kind of like Dudley Moore's when he made this Volvo ad in the movie "Crazy People." So many people are in very weak cash positions because of …
A One-Page Financial Plan
“Financial Planning” First thing's first: nothing in this article (or on this site) is to be construed as individual financial advice. Read my disclaimer -> I have two issues with today’s …
12 Things I’ve Learned From Real Clients
While more and more average Americans are finding their way to financial strategies using life insurance, these strategies are far from mainstream. One of the biggest reasons is that we are simply …
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The 4% Rule Just Became the 2% Rule
In a recent article interviewing Wade Pfau, professor of retirement income and co-director of The New York Life Center for Retirement Income at The American College of Financial Services, talks about …
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How Much Life Insurance Should You Have?
In my normal day-to-day business, most of my professional (ok, personal too because I'm obsessed with, and love, what I do) conversations revolve around how to use life insurance to coordinate all of …
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I Love it When a Plan Comes Together
"I love it when a plan comes together" What if your financial plan was the A-Team? Who would be on it? Most people's financial plans only have half of the A-Team; "Howlin' Mad" Murdock and …
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July 2019 Lara-Murphy Report
An article from the July 2019 Lara-Murphy Report, "The Yield Curve and Recession" is available: Excerpt: Here in the pages of the Lara-Murphy Report over the years I’ve written several pieces …
2019 Social Security Report Released Today and, uh… wow.
Officially called the "2019 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds" But for us regular folks, the 2019 Social …
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Questions to Ask AFTER Applying for Life Insurance
Part 2 of 2 In Part 1, “Questions to Ask BEFORE Applying for Life Insurance” we offered some guidance on: choosing life insurance companiesevaluating types of insurancepolicy time …
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Questions to Ask BEFORE Applying for Life Insurance
Part 1 of 2 Nobody wants "buyer's remorse" when it comes to something as important as life insurance. And yet, it's something I hear all the time; policy owners who wish they knew what they know …
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Risk Assessment Questionnaire – Don’t Be Fooled
Misleading risk profiles in most qualified plans can cause big problems down the road. Investing should be more like watching paint dry or watching grass grow. If you want excitement, take $800 and …
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Are Bonds Still Safe?
Some investors mistakenly believe that bonds can’t or won’t lose money If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that bonds aren’t what they used to be. Values are declining, risk is up, investors …