Tag: Rick Brooks and Blankinship & Foster

So You’re Thinking About an ADU

| February 10, 2024 | 0 Comments

With San Diego’s aggressive promotion of Auxiliary Dwelling Units (ADUs), the topic of owning rental properties has come up a lot recently. Besides the need for additional housing here (and just about every other major metropolitan area in the country), there are some key advantages to owning rental properties, namely: That said, owning and renting […]

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How to Get Money Out of Your 401(K) Plan

| January 6, 2024 | 0 Comments

If you are like most working Americans today, you probably have been contributing to a company retirement plan (like a 401(k), 403(b) or SEP IRA, or other plan) for a few years. One question that comes up regularly is: “How (and when) can I get my money out of my retirement plan?” Most often, that […]

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Continuing Care Communities

| April 30, 2023 | 0 Comments

Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) are communities designed for seniors that offer a range of services, from independent living to assisted living, nursing care and even memory care. These communities are becoming increasingly popular as seniors look for ways to maintain their independence and quality of life as they age. They are one option in […]

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Banking, Crisis and the FDIC Insurance Limits

| April 3, 2023 | 0 Comments

In my 25 plus years working in investment management, it’s fortunately rare that I have to discuss the FDIC and bank account insurance limits with clients. Unfortunately, that has become a pretty common topic the past few weeks. The failure of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and Silvergate Bank all in the same week brought […]

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The Ugly Math of Variable Annuities

| March 7, 2023 | 0 Comments

When a new client recently asked me to review a variable annuity they had purchased ten years ago, I knew I had my work cut out for me. Variable annuity contracts can be complex documents, loaded with confusing provisions, definitions, and terms. Often, the most complex parts are the most fundamental: the calculations used to […]

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Looking Forward to a New Year

| January 10, 2023 | 0 Comments

As 2022 winds down and we start thinking about how to work off the pecan pie and holiday celebrations, folks often naturally wonder what the new year has in store. For most of us, this feeling will be particularly acute as we open our brokerage statements in January. 2022 has been one for the record […]

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Do You Use Venmo?

| December 3, 2022 | 0 Comments

Earlier this year, I took a trip with some friends. We did some sightseeing, went to some fantastic restaurants, and overall had a great time together. As we travelled, it was easier for one of us to pick up the bill for dinner or the hotel than to split it on four credit cards or […]

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It’s Open Enrollment Time for Medicare

| November 5, 2022 | 0 Comments

Every year, those enrolled in Medicare can switch their insurance coverage. Whether you have Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement (“Medigap”) and a prescription drug policy or Medicare Advantage, this is when you can review your policy and possibly make a change. This annual Open Enrollment period lasts from October 15 through December 7 each […]

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Three Ways to Help Aging Relatives Manage Their Finances

| July 4, 2022 | 0 Comments

As the average age in America increases and more Baby Boomers retire, the so-called Sandwich Generation (those with school-age or young adult children and aging parents) are finding themselves having to assist both parents and kids simultaneously. Whether it’s helping to invest, pay bills or going to medical appointments as a second set of eyes, […]

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Complexity as Job Security

| June 5, 2022 | 0 Comments

We’ve all heard stories about the guy at work who makes his job seem far more complicated than it really is so that he becomes harder to fire or lay off. Complexity as job security is nothing new. And Wall Street product manufacturers are wizards at this. In the 1990s, as mutual funds were becoming […]

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