Tag: Rick Brooks
The Cost of Complexity: Why Simplifying Your Financial Life Matters
An old friend passed away recently, and his family is now left with quite a large mess. Unfortunately, over the years they didn’t take my advice to consolidate accounts and clean up their account titling, among other things. Now the real work begins. His wife passed away a few years ago, and with his death […]
A Falling Dollar Impacts Consumers First
But it isn’t all bad. Currency markets tend to feel distant from daily life. Exchange rates move quietly in the background, tracked by traders and economists, not households. But when the U.S. dollar weakens, the effects don’t stay confined to financial charts. They show up first—and most clearly—in everyday decisions about what to buy, where […]
Retirement Planning Isn’t a One-Time Project: Here’s Why You Need Ongoing Support
When it comes to preparing for retirement, many people think of it as a box to check off. You meet with a financial advisor, create a plan, and then you’re done—right? Not quite. Retirement planning isn’t a one-time project. It’s an ongoing process that needs adjusting as your life, the markets, and your priorities evolve. […]
Auto Insurance and Delivery Driving
Delivery driving, whether for pizza shops or gig platforms, involves unique insurance risks that most personal auto policies do not cover. Personal use auto insurance typically will not cover business use of a car for things like delivering pizzas. Commercial auto insurance is required for anyone using their vehicle for business purposes, including food delivery. […]
Nine Important Retirement Milestones (Starting at Age 50)
I’m continuing the topic of properly preparing for retirement this month. Most people don’t really start thinking about retirement at age 50, but there are a few things you should be doing to set yourself up early for a comfortable and secure retirement. Age 50: Catch-Up Contributions Begin At age 50, you can start making […]
When to Make a Homeowners Insurance Claim: A Comprehensive Guide
Filing a homeowners insurance claim is a critical decision that requires careful consideration. While insurance is designed to protect you financially in times of need, not every incident warrants a claim. Understanding when to file can save you money, preserve your claims history, and ensure you’re making the most of your coverage. Assessing the Situation […]
Taking Over Your Parents’ Finances
I can state from first-hand experience that taking over your parents’ finances can be a challenging and sensitive process. As parents age, they may need help managing their money and bills. This can be especially true if cognitive impairment is occurring. But this transition often comes with complex issues that adult children must navigate carefully. […]
Six Common Mistakes Trustees Make
Planning for the distribution of your estate is complex. There are so many variables to consider, like family dynamics, changing values and ever-changing tax rules. It can be easy to simply ignore the planning, but that just leaves your heirs to clean up a huge mess and often causes strife trying to figure out what […]
Your Car is Watching You
By Rick Brooks Have you read the terms and conditions of the applications installed on your car? Or your phone, for that matter, but let’s focus on your car for now. A couple of weeks ago, Kashmir Hill at the “New York Times” reported that users of General Motors OnStar services (including myBuick, myGMC, myChevrolet […]
