Personal Finance

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Health Savings Accounts as a Retirement Planning Tool

A really long time ago… in a galaxy far, far away… I worked for a building contractor. That experience taught me that every successful building project requires the right tools. And sometimes a project turns out just a little bit better because of a specialty tool, one with specific characteristics not found in any other tool at your disposal. The [...]

By |2026-04-06T09:36:43-04:00April 6th, 2026|Financial Planning, Retirement Planning|

What Happens to Your Debts When You Die?

Someone close to you dies and you are now the executor of the estate. You’ve never been in this position before and if you’re like many of my clients who have been faced with settling an estate, you’re a little panicked by the whole prospect—you’re staring into the great unknown with no idea of what it all entails.   One [...]

By |2026-03-30T07:46:37-04:00March 30th, 2026|Aging Parents, Estate Planning, Financial Planning|

The Married Couples Social Security Playbook

Social Security is usually thought of in terms of an individual’s retirement benefit. But it’s equally important to understand the benefits of Social Security for married couples. Whether you’re a Baby Boomer spouse with limited work history because you stayed home to raise the kids, or a married couple that’s discovered a happy family doesn’t require two incomes, here are [...]

By |2026-03-23T10:15:24-04:00March 23rd, 2026|Financial Planning, Social Security|

Planning for the Unthinkable

Have you made preparations? It’s a question I’ve asked clients more times than I can count, but I was reminded of the significance of the question and the possible consequences when I recently asked the same thing of a family member.   Bill (not his real name) is 70 years old and never been married. He’s in the early stages [...]

By |2026-03-20T08:17:45-04:00March 20th, 2026|Aging Parents, Estate Planning, Financial Planning|

What’s the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan?

Talk about a shock. You go to pick up a prescription and you’re told you owe $120!   “Wait a minute,” you say to the pharmacist.  “I’m on Medicare. I have prescription drug coverage.”   “Yes, but it doesn’t cover the entire cost of this medicine,” the pharmacist says. “The $120 is your part.”   So, you write a check [...]

By |2026-03-16T11:27:23-04:00March 16th, 2026|Financial Planning, Medicare|
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