Posts in Budgeting
Empower New Graduates with Gifts of Independence
Empower New Graduates with Gifts of Independence

While cash or gift cards are always appreciated, consider something with lasting value that can help launch college and high school graduates towards financial independence.

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Budgeting, Debt Management, Investing, Retirement Planning, Your $ Your IndependenceGlenn BrownAutomatic Payments, Best Practice, Budget, Subscriptions, Debt Management, Bond Portfolios, Bonds, CDs, Children, College, Cash, career, Cash Flows, Dividend Growth, Dividends, Earnings, ETF, Focus on your why, Financial Planning, family, Fee-Only Fiduciary, Financial Independence, Goals, Giving, grandchildren, Graduates, Grads, IRAs, IRA Contributions, Income Streams, Investing, Index, Joy, Kids, Local Town Pages, Student Loans, Gifting, Markets, Roth IRA, Portfolios, Rent, Raising Kids, Student Debt, Savings, Spending, High School Students, College Students, Tuition, Teenager, Technology, Traditional IRA, Multi-Generational Planning, diversification, Experience Spending, Your Money Your Independence, Your Money
Ready Homebuyers? The Fed’s New “No Urgency” Mantra Is A Gift.
Ready Homebuyers? The Fed’s New “No Urgency” Mantra Is A Gift.

If one waits for 5% mortgages, there are considerable opportunity costs. Potential homebuyers should prepare to act by utilizing these tools and best practices.   

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Budgeting, Debt Management, Economics 101, Your $ Your IndependenceGlenn BrownHouse, Mortgage, Financial Planning, Refinancing, Real Estate, Home Ownership, Best Practice, Debt Management, Focus on your why, Goals, HELOC, Interest Rates, Markets, Loan-To-Value, Prime Rate, Home Equity Line of Credit, adjustable rate mortgage, Rent, Savings, Tax Planning, taxes, Your Money Your Independence, Yields
At or Near Retirement? Time to Say Bucket!
At or Near Retirement? Time to Say Bucket!

Retirees view risks differently, but the greatest risk is behavioral. Let’s discuss a sustainable and tax-efficient approach to retirement distribution strategies.

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Your $ Your Independence, Work Benefits, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning, Retirement, Investing, Debt Management, BudgetingGlenn BrownBudget, Work Benefits, Best Practice, CDs, CFP, Dividends, Dividend Growth, Debt Management, Entitlements, family, Focus on your why, Financial Planning, Goals, Healthcare, Health, HELOC, IRAs, IRS, Income Streams, Investing, Inflation, Investment Management, IRA Withdrawals, Joy, 401(k), Solo K, Local Town Pages, Life Insurance, Medicare, Markets, Net Worth, Roth IRA, Portfolios, Pro-rata rule, Access to Equity, Required Minimum Distributions, Home Equity Line of Credit, Refinancing, Real Estate, Rebalancing, Savings, Traditional IRA, Total Return, Tax Planning, diversification, Savings Prioritization, distribution phase, distribution strategies, tax efficiency, taxes, Experience Spending, Tax-Loss Harvesting, Taxes, Index, Your Money Your Independence, Yields, Asset Allocation
Frugal February… A Different Take, One That’s Sustainable.
Frugal February… A Different Take, One That’s Sustainable.

Many use Frugal February as a month to not spend. While noble, how sustainable is this for improved outcomes Instead, let’s discuss actions that provide yearlong benefits plus a better time to start. 

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Budgeting, College Planning, Debt Management, Insurance, Investing, Retirement, Retirement Planning, Small Business, Tax Planning, Work Benefits, Your $ Your IndependenceGlenn BrownFrugal February, Budget, Savings, Savings Prioritization, Spending, Experience Spending, Planning for Unexpected, Tax Deadlines, taxes, Tax Planning, Tax-Loss Harvesting, Taxes, Home Equity Line of Credit, Credit, Access to Equity, Focus on your why, Retirement, F.I.R.E., Insurance, Auto Insurance, Homeowners Insurance, Credit Cards, Automatic Payments, Subscriptions, Purge, Storage, Feng Shui, Best Practice
If You Fail To Plan, You Are Planning To Fail.
If You Fail To Plan, You Are Planning To Fail.

Starting the New Year with the same old resolutions? Let’s recognize questionable resolutions, including three destined for failure, plus what should be considered for successful planning outcomes. 

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Debt Management, Budgeting, Investing, Retirement, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning, Work Benefits, Your $ Your IndependenceGlenn BrownFinancial Independence, New Year, Resolutions, Planning for Unexpected, Estate Planning, Tax Planning, Retirement, Financial Planning, College planning, Savings, Savings Prioritization, Investing, Debt Management, Student Loans, Student Debt, HELOC, Semi-Retirement, Access to Equity, Best Practice, Budget, Income Streams, Work Benefits, n, Real Estate, Spending
Enjoy Every Sandwicher Moment.
Enjoy Every Sandwicher Moment.

July is National Sandwich Generation Month, celebrating approximately 15% of Americans between ages 40-60 sandwiched between caring for their young children and aging parents at the same time.

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Estate Planning, Debt Management, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning, Your $ Your Independence, BudgetingGlenn BrownSandwichers, Caring for aging parents, Aging Parents, Local Town Pages, Raising Kids, Kids, Elder Care Law, Health Care, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, MA Laws, Health Insurance, Best Practice, Children, family, Focus on your why, Financial Planning, grandchildren, Goals, Long-Term Care, Planning for Unexpected, Multi-Generational Planning, Minors, n, Your Money Your Independence, Tax Planning
Peak Earnings Years Are Your 50’s - Your Parents Maybe, You… Not So Much.
Peak Earnings Years Are Your 50’s - Your Parents Maybe, You… Not So Much.

Top 10% earners in their 30’s and 40’s believe they’ll earn considerably more in their 50’s. Don’t plan on it.

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Budgeting, Investing, Retirement, Retirement Planning, Your $ Your IndependenceGlenn BrownAgeism, Earnings, Income Streams, Employee Benefits, Priorities, Savings, Budget, Savings Prioritization, 401(k), HSA, 529 Plan, IRAs, Roth IRA, Experience Spending, Best Practice, Debt Management, Cash Flows, Focus on your why, Financial Planning, Goals, Investing, Work Benefits, Tax Planning, Your Money Your Independence
New Year, New You… Not True?
New Year, New You… Not True?

Resolutions to improve your financial situation similar to one’s made last year? Here’s how and why to consider actions and timeframes, instead of focusing on desired outcomes.


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Budgeting, Debt Management, Investing, Retirement, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning, Work BenefitsGlenn BrownBudget, Best Practice, Debt Management, Rebalancing, Employee Benefits, Economy, Financial Planning, Focus on your why, family, Semi-Retirement, Retirement, Roth IRA, Student Debt, Goals, Joy, Resolutions, 401(k), Work Benefits, Markets, Local Town Pages, Investing, Portfolios, Priorities, Spending, Savings, Tax Planning, Traditional IRA, Total Return, Your Money Your Independence, Your Money, Year-End, New Year
Eye Opening Costs At Open Enrollment?
Eye Opening Costs At Open Enrollment?

Over past year, health insurance prices have increased 3X to US inflation. It’s time to fully understand HDHP, HSA and how to do your cost/benefit analysis.


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Insurance, Budgeting, Investing, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning, Your $ Your IndependenceGlenn BrownBest Practice, Work Benefits, Health Insurance, Health Plans, Health Savings Accounts, HSA, Inflation, Investing, HDHP, PPO, taxes, Tax Planning, Taxes, tax planning, Employee Benefits, FSA Dependent Care, Financial Independence, FSA, Financial Planning, Goals, Healthcare, 401(k), Life Insurance, Local Town Pages, Open Enrollment, Priorities, Your Money, Your Money Your Independence, Savings, Year-End
Never ask, “Where do you want to go to college?”
Never ask, “Where do you want to go to college?”

Take control, don’t be another victim to make your teen happy… spending won’t make them happy.

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College Planning, Budgeting, Debt Management, Investing, Your $ Your IndependenceGlenn BrownBudget, Best Practice, Debt Management, College, children, Cash, Children, Tuition, ROI, Refinancing, College Planning, Financial Planning, Financial Aid, FAFSA, EFC, Focus on your why, Financial Independence, Grants, Giving, Goals, Gifting, High School Students, Inflation, Raising Kids, Kids, Local Town Pages, Net Price Calculators, NPC, Investment Management, Investing, Priorities, Student Debt, Savings, Student Loans, Spending, Sandwichers, Social Media, Tax Planning, Teenager, Total Return, Your Money Your Independence, taxes, Expected Family Contribution
Enjoy Every Sandwicher Moment.
Enjoy Every Sandwicher Moment.

This month celebrates those caring for their young children and aging parents simultaneously - Sandwichers.

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Estate Planning, Investing, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning, Your $ Your Independence, Budgeting, College PlanningGlenn BrownAging Parents, attorney, Elder Care Law, Tax Planning, Capital Gains, Best Practice, Beneficiaries, Budget, Debt Management, Probate, College, children, Cash Flows, Caring for aging parents, Local Town Pages, Daycare, Medicare, Dependent Care, Long-Term Care, Health Care, Medical Expenses, Death Tax, Guardianship, guardians, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Entitlements, family, Focus on your why, Financial Planning, grandchildren, Goals, Giving, Gifting, Savings, Teenager, Health, Health Insurance, Home Ownership, Inflation, Investing, inheritance, Raising Kids, Kids, Markets, Will, Life Insurance, College Planning, Multi-Generational Planning, Mortgage, Minors, Income Streams, Investment Management, Joy, House, Portfolios, Social Security, Priorities, Spending, tax planning, Trusts, Total Return, Trustee, taxes, Your Money Your Independence, Education
April Brings Spring, Baseball and Taxe… Squirrel!
April Brings Spring, Baseball and Taxe… Squirrel!

If your wealth is tax-deferred retirement accounts, your taxes in retirement will be more than you realize.

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Budgeting, Investing, Retirement, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning, Work Benefits, Your $ Your IndependenceGlenn BrownBest Practice, Employee Benefits, Financial Planning, Goals, 401(k), Roth IRA, Roth Conversion, IRA Contributions, Traditional IRA, IRAs, RMD, 403(b), taxes, Tax Planning, Tax-Loss Harvesting, Retirement, Required Minimum Distributions, Investing, Taxes, Tax Deadlines, Social Security, Income Streams, Markets, Work Benefits, Local Town Pages, Savings, Your Money Your Independence
Book Travel Now - Time for Experience Spending
Book Travel Now - Time for Experience Spending

My PSA for those adhering to a financial plan: Book your travel now.

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Budgeting, Your $ Your IndependenceGlenn BrownSandwichers, Budget, Best Practice, Debt Management, Financial Independence, family, Focus on your why, Financial Planning, children, grandchildren, Kids, Raising Kids, Cash Flows, College Planning, Goals, Joy, Local Town Pages, Priorities, Savings, Spending, Experience Spending, Economy, Teenager, Your Money Your Independence
Resolutions Gone Bad: Rein In Your New Year.
Resolutions Gone Bad: Rein In Your New Year.

How to make financial resolutions that lead to successful planning outcomes.

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Debt Management, College Planning, Investing, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning, Your $ Your Independence, Retirement, BudgetingGlenn BrownAsset Allocation, Sandwichers, taxes, Budget, Best Practice, Rebalancing, Debt Management, children, Children, Cash, Cash Flows, Dividend Growth, family, Focus on your why, Financial Planning, Fee-Only Fiduciary, Financial Independence, Goals, IRA Contributions, Income Streams, Investing, Investment Management, Joy, Kids, Markets, 401(k), Work Benefits, Local Town Pages, Priorities, Portfolios, Pension, Savings, Spending, Tax Planning, Total Return, tax planning, Your Money Your Independence, HELOC, Mortgage, Home Equity Line of Credit, Retirement, Resolutions, Experience Spending, Taxes, Year-End, Your Money
Inflation: Increase assets, borrow, and lock in debits.
Inflation: Increase assets, borrow, and lock in debits.

Action items based upon the old adage “Inflation rewards debtors and hurts creditors”.

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Budgeting, Debt Management, Economics 101, Investing, Retirement, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning, Your $ Your IndependenceGlenn BrownAsset Allocation, Bond Portfolios, Rebalancing, Bonds, Best Practice, Debt Management, Dividend Growth, Dividends, Economy, ETF, Financial Planning, Fed, HELOC, Interest Rates, Income Streams, Inflation, Investment Management, Investing, Markets, high yield stocks, Local Town Pages, Mortgage, House, ROI, Portfolios, Priorities, Home Equity Line of Credit, Refinancing, Retirement, Savings, Tax Planning, Total Return, Your Money, Your Money Your Independence, taxes, Tax Deadlines, Taxes, Tax-Loss Harvesting, Year-End, Yields, Entitlements, Social Security, Cash, CDs, TIPs, Treasury Inflation Protection Securities, REITs, Rent, Home Ownership
Take this job and shove it!? Measure twice, cut once.
Take this job and shove it!? Measure twice, cut once.

May be good reasons to change jobs or quit, best to remove emotions and seek validation before resignation.

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Budgeting, Work Benefits, Small Business, Your $ Your Independence, Retirement PlanningGlenn BrownSandwichers, Budget, Best Practice, Debt Management, children, Cash Flows, Local Town Pages, Employee Benefits, Economy, Economics, Work Benefits, Focus on your why, Financial Planning, family, FSA Dependent Care, Financial Independence, WFH, Goals, Health Plans, HELOC, Healthcare, Health, Home Office, Inflation, Income Streams, IRA Withdrawals, Raising Kids, Life Insurance, Mortgage, Interest Rates, House, Priorities, Refinancing, Retirement, Savings, Spending, Tax Planning, Your Money Your Independence, taxes, Taxes, tax planning, Year-End
2020 - The Worst Year Ever… Really?
2020 - The Worst Year Ever… Really?

Turn down the hyperbole, 2020 offered great opportunities to refinance, save, invest, WFH, and focus on your why.

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Your $ Your Independence, Retirement Planning, Retirement, Debt Management, Estate Planning, Insurance, Budgeting, Tax Planning, Small Business, InvestingGlenn BrownAging Parents, Asset Allocation, Sandwichers, Tax Planning, Savings, Trusts, Tax Deadlines, taxes, Technology, Best Practice, Budget, Rebalancing, Debt Management, Cash Flows, Estate Planning, Employee Benefits, Economy, family, Financial Planning, Focus on your why, Goals, Health, House, Interest Rates, Investing, Investment Management, Will, 401(k), Raising Kids, Kids, Experience Spending, Life Insurance, Local Town Pages, College Refunds, Mortgage, Markets, Roth IRA, Priorities, Required Minimum Distributions, Home Equity Line of Credit, Refinancing, Retirement, Roth Conversion, IRAs, Student Debt, Student Loans, CARES Act, children, Caring for aging parents, Traditional IRA, Total Return, Taxes, Your Money Your Independence
Closing Time for 2020
Closing Time for 2020

There are investing, tax planning, and retirement planning opportunities to be had before year-end.

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Budgeting, Investing, Tax Planning, Your $ Your Independence, Retirement Planning, RetirementGlenn BrownSECURE Act, Asset Allocation, Tax Planning, Sandwichers, Aging Parents, Payroll, 401(k), 457, 403(b), FSA, Budget, Rebalancing, Best Practice, Financial Planning, Gifting, Health Care, HSA, IRAs, Investing, Investment Management, IRA Withdrawals, Roth Conversion, Roth IRA, Local Town Pages, Portfolios, Required Minimum Distributions, RMD, Wash Sale, taxes, Tax-Loss Harvesting, Tax Deadlines, Taxes, Your Money Your Independence, Year-End