Every year, people stress about what to give their special person for Valentine’s Day. Flowers? Chocolates? Candlelit dinners? Almost no one considers a retirement projection or an investment portfolio allocation! However, money issues are the leading cause of divorce. Good communication skills about finances are important for Valentine’s Day and all year. Here are some…

In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, and next week, we are celebrating the man and his message. Dreaming is important. Much of our focus originates from our dreams—getting a job, owning a home, or having a prosperous life. However, building a strategy around dreams can be difficult….

    Happy 2025! Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? Most of us make at least one or two, and they have usually been left in the dust by March. I want to give you some tips to stay on track, especially if your resolutions are about your finances. However, I don’t want to…

Oklahomans take spring storms in stride. We go about our day but keep an eye turned toward the sky. We only flip the radio or television to a local station if the horizon begins to darken. By then, however, it’s too late to make proactive financial decisions. So review your documents now, when the skies…

When I was young, my grandparents had a giant book on their bookshelf avoiding probate. I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, so I tried to read the book. I was ten at the oldest, and it was the most boring thing I ever tried to read. I made it to page 5 or…

New Year’s resolutions often involve losing weight and gaining control of finances. However, sometimes, the goals can be a little murky. We say we want to be thin or get better with our money, but these vague resolutions can’t be measured. Having a more specific focus helps us track our progress. I can’t help you…

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…