I love everything about Thanksgiving weekend! I look forward to the turkey, trimmings, parade, and football. I also love Black Friday shopping. Growing up, my grandmother, mom, aunt, and I donned Christmas sweaters and headed to the first mall. Then, we’d have burgers and eggnog shakes before we headed for the second mall. After we…

On Halloween, you can expect a collection of ghosts, witches, princesses, and superheroes to come to your door with cries of “Trick or Treat.” Likely, some are neighbors, and you may recognize the parents from next door hiding behind a tree as their kiddos bravely walk up the sidewalk alone. Of course, you aren’t afraid…

By any measure that matters, summer is over. Vacations have ended, Oklahoma schools are about to start, and college football is in the air. After a summer more typical and relaxed than those in recent years, it’s time to get back to work. We have a couple of months until the holidays command our attention,…

Last year was a financial mess. The markets were tough to negotiate as we experienced unusual issues that were complicated and difficult to understand. Reviewing some of them might help us make better decisions in the future. Although many economic, political, and financial events led to the 2022 markets, I’m limiting my discussion to five…

Halloween can be fun, or it can be scary, depending on our choices. Do we curl up with smiling jack-o-lanterns or shriek our way through extreme haunted houses? Our financial situation also can be frightening; however, we can take steps to lower our financial fears. Here are some tips to make your money more like…

Happy 4th of July! Although Christmas in July is trendy, I want to move one week forward. How are your New Year’s resolutions? Have you been successful, or have you given up in despair? If you’re like most people, your plans didn’t last long enough to see Valentine’s Day, let alone our nation’s birthday. Don’t…

If you’ve been watching TV recently, you’ve seen ads often featuring older celebrities. “You may be missing out on available benefits. Call this number to see if Medicare Advantage is right for you.” The disclaimers are in a font so small you couldn’t read them with a magnifying glass. What is Medicare Advantage? Medicare Advantage,…

I hope on St. Patrick’s Day, the Leprechaun takes you to his pot of gold! Unfortunately, leprechauns are difficult to find, but don’t despair. The luck of the Irish is still with you. I’ve got some tips to help you better understand your investment portfolio. Investments rise and fall, and we earn a portfolio return…

The Russian invasion of Ukraine shook financial markets around the world. The resulting rollercoaster stock returns, rise in the price of oil, and fears of cyberattacks can leave you uncertain about your investing strategy. How should you handle your portfolio during times of great uncertainty? If you took the time to create a solid risk…

Forget the flowers, candy, and teddy bears. What you and your love should share this Valentine’s Day is a heart-to-heart conversation about money. Wow—what a buzzkill! Not really. Did you know financial discord is the leading cause of divorce? To keep this from happening to you, here are a few tips. Start talking about finances…