FINANCIaL
FIELd NOTES
Gifting to Adult Children During Your Lifetime
I recently met with a couple who had done everything right: saved diligently, invested well, and earned pensions that would more than cover their retirement lifestyle. After running the numbers, it was clear they could live comfortably without touching a large portion of their investments. Based on projected growth, their estate could reach several million dollars in the coming decades.
Their daughters would likely inherit a substantial amount of money in their 60s, likely as they neared retirement themselves. Right now, their daughters are in their late 30s, starting families and buying houses.
I encouraged them to consider gifting some to them now while they are in the thick of starting their adult lives.
They asked, “What would that look like?”
Popular Fraud Tactics in 2025
Every year, scams get more sophisticated. It seems like just when people figure out how to avoid one trick, scammers come up with another. And increasingly, we’re seeing scams that are disturbingly convincing.
Here are some of the major scams we’ve been seeing so far in 2025—and what you can do to avoid falling victim…
How Retirees Can Turn Money Into Lasting Memories
If you’ve ever hesitated to spend your hard-earned savings on something fun, you’re not alone. Many retirees struggle to shift from saving to spending mode. I’ve seen this first hand many times. I’ve told many clients some version of “If we assume you spend at this level, you will likely die with significantly more than you have today.”
But there is a common mental barrier to spending that is incredibly difficult for prudent savers. For the clients that do make the shift successfully, I’ve found that they start spending one two things…
The Trouble With a Single Data Point
A single headline can move the market, but sometimes, the numbers behind those headlines are more complicated than they appear. The first quarter of 2025 offers a perfect case study. U.S. GDP declined by .3% in Q1, sparking fears of a looming recession. While that may certainly materialize, a closer look at the data shows a different story.
The decline was not due to changes in consumer spending or investments, it was due almost entirely by “net exports.” When the US imports more than we export to other countries, it is a drag of growth. We imported significantly more in the Q1 than we exported…
Repairing an Old Car vs. Buying New
Some common phrases I hear when people buy a new car include variations of: “It was more expensive to repair than to buy new,” or “The repair cost more than the car.”
I’m going to debunk these claims. But before I do, let me say this—if you can afford a new car, go for it! New cars are great. They reduce stress, eliminate hassle, and, for some, bring real enjoyment. But it’s rarely an economical choice.
To be fair, I’m writing this while waiting for our old Toyota Highlander to finish its 100,000-mile service, plus some extra repairs—costing more than $1,300. So, maybe I’m just trying to make myself feel better about the expense…
The Most Searched Financial Terms of 2024
2023 was a year that brought us no shortage of interesting news, from bank failures to spiking mortgage rates to yet another debt ceiling showdown. As we approach the end of the year, let's review five of the most searched financial topics of the year…