If you’ve never had someone try to sell you an annuity, you’re either lucky or young. As you near retirement, you will have a plethora of “financial advisors” offering you annuities as the solution to your every financial need. Because of this, it’s important for you to understand what they are and when you would want one. View post

Yesterday was Father’s Day, so I’d like to take a break from discussing tedious financial topics in order to honor my spiritual father, Pastor Steve Fitzpatrick.   Pastor Steve has played an integral role in my development as both a person and a Christian. I’ve known him for as long as I can remember, and I find it fascinating to see how his influence in my life has shaped the way I view and approach the world.   View post

I recently received a message from a reader wondering what she should do with her extra income. Should she put the extra into retirement or towards paying off her house early? She was having a disagreement with a family member and wanted to hear my take on the issue. Well, here it is: View post

There are wealthy people all over the country paying their financial advisors thousands of dollars a year for financial advice. When it comes to investing, this is what they are saying. View post

If you’re reading this, you’re probably a licensed minister who has opted out of Social Security. I’ll bet you were thrilled at the opportunity to opt out of a system that is facing a perilous future and is quickly depleting its reserves. But was it really the right move for you? And are you maintaining your integrity by doing so? View post

Summer is just around the corner, and for many of us, that means vacations! Vacations by nature tend to be a time of indulgence, and it’s all too easy to let it go too far. A 2015 study found that 49% of vacationers accumulated credit card debt when traveling and 68% go over budget.   Your vacation memories won’t be as sweet if you’re still paying the bill four months later. Are the stress and money fights really worth several days of irresponsibility? I don’t think so. But I do want you to have a fun vacation. Here are a few ways you can have a great vacation without sabotaging your finances: View post

All of my money that I am saving for the distant future is invested in mutual funds. It shouldn’t come as any surprise, then, that I think they’re awesome. I think that they are the best way for normal, everyday people like you and me to invest for the future. View post

Summer camp is a priceless experience for teenagers, but sometimes it can get pretty pricey. Here are 7 summer jobs that will allow your teen to pay their own way to camp this year. You may just want to try some of the out yourself. View post

It can be so frustrating watching other people make mistakes when you know better. In this post I go through several mistakes that I have personally witnessed in hopes that it will help you avoid them and their ugly consequences.  View post

When opening an IRA, you must decide between a traditional account and a Roth account. Here are some of the advantages of each kind and things to consider when making your decision. View post