Blog

History of Bull & Bear Markets Since 1942

Since 1942 many events have rocked the markets. We're likely in one now. What wil you do? Panic and short sighted decisions usually don't work out too well. Following a well contstructed investment plan is critical especially right

On the Mark: Is the US Headed for a Recession?

Inflation and recession are on the minds of many today. Some think the US is headed for recession making investing in this environment challenging. While there are risks to the economy, there are reasons for optimism.

What is HealthSpan and How Can You Improve It?

A recent study published by npj Regenerative Medicine found that increased longevity has widened the gap between a person's total healthspan (the number of years you are healthy) and lifespan by approximately 9 years. That means the...

Finding Beauty in an Uncertain World

Retire With Purpose to Get Your Best Life

Purpose and fulfillment can and should be yours in retirement. Yet many new retirees feel a large sense of loss when they leave their career. Here are two questions to ask yourself that just may help you find purpose and fulfillment.

Markets Keep Your Eye on the Road

Investing during market volatility can be like driving during a winter storm. Your best plan of action is to focus on what you can control and keep progressing towards your destination.

Welcome To 2022. Predicitons?

Will these predictions be right? Will they be wrong? Predictions are usually judged by how right or wrong they turn out to be. There's hope for COVID-19 in 2022. Politics will dominate headlines. Folks are ready for some kind of normal.

Make 2022 Your Best Year Ever

When making your New Year resolutions considering your values, relationships, your true motivation and your financial foundation are crucial to following through to reach your goals.

It's Better to Give Than Receive

Talking with your family about the causes that are important to each person can be immensely powerful.

How Do You Feel About Your Work Today?

How are you feeling about work these days? Are you taking stock of your life and thinking about moving on? (You're not alone.) Are you a boss struggling to fill roles and retain your people? (You're in good company.) America is going...

Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Retirement Plan?

Many people who go solo on their financial planning spend their working years on autopilot. Every month, when their paychecks come in, they make their automatic contributions to savings, retirement, and investing accounts, pay their...

The Latest on Taxes

Capitol Hill is producing more drama than Hollywood. We've got bold statements, ultimatums, cliff-hangers, and confusing sequels. We've even got folks paddling up to Senators' party boats to discuss tax reform. Let's recap what we know...

A Time for Remembrance & Reflections

Over the weekend I gave a great deal of thought to this question and wanted share some thoughts with you. What were you doing on the morning of September 11th? Can you picture it clearly? Did you know how much life would change after...

Predictions Wrong? Now What?

What happens when the predictions are wrong? Is it time to panic? Is it time to ditch our strategy? It's a fascinating question because it cuts right down to the question of what it means to live in an uncertain world. Humans are wired...

3 Tips for Planning a Last-Minute Summer Trip

The Fourth of July is often a high point of summer, but it's also the unofficial halfway point. If you'd like to take a break from your backyard before the kids are back in school and the year-end push starts at work, now might be the...

Fill In The Blanks To Rethink What Your Retirement Can Be

Envision Retirement -- Even If You Don't Want To No, you're not the only soon-to-be retiree who's reluctant to leave your working days behind. What we do is so tied up in who we are that it can be difficult to picture yourself without...

4 Tips to Help You Get More Out of Your Day

Use Your Daily Schedule to Increase Your ROL When you're working, raising kids, and struggling to find time to take a run or read a book, it's common to feel like your days keep getting away from you. Mixing a few of these hacks and...

Have Your Thoughts About Home Changed?

As we exit the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans are on the move. Remote work opportunities, childcare challenges, and a lot of time to reflect have changed what home means to many folks. The premium on at-home office space and big...

Tax Worries? Don't Panic. Here Is My Take on Taxes.

Are you tired of hearing about taxes? Me too. But here we are. Let's dive in. So, we've got dueling infrastructure bills, plus a big proposed budget with lots of spending (and higher taxes inside). That's a lot of expensive legislation...

4 Ways Your Benefits Can Boost Your Total Compensation

Your paycheck pays the bills, but the total benefits you receive can have just as big of an impact on how you feel about the work you do and how that work affects life for you and your family. Here are four ways that your benefits can...

4 Tips for a Safe Memorable Post-COVID Family Vacation

If your family has ever deserved a vacation, it's this summer. After a year of locking down and making sacrifices of all shapes and sizes, COVID-19 rates are dropping, and vaccination rates continue to rise. That doesn't quite...

Get Your Retirement Plans Back on Track

According to the latest guidelines from the CDC, it's finally time for vaccinated retirees to put away their masks and get back to enjoying retirement. If your to-do list is looking a little crowded after a year of missed hugs and...

$50 Burgers, Should We Worry About Inflation?

How much inflation can the country afford before we’re in trouble? Let’s discuss. First, let’s get on the same page about some basics. If you’ve noticed the price of a thing increasing over time (say, your...

4 Key Areas to Consider When Starting a Business

Some would-be entrepreneurs look at a displaced business landscape and see trouble. Others see an opportunity: the chance to become owner and CEO of the company they’ve always wanted to start. If you think that 2021 could be the...

What is Lifestyle Inflation? Is it harmful? 3 Tips to Consider

The large amounts of money that our government has spent on pandemic relief and is proposing to spend on infrastructure projects has raised some serious concerns about inflation. But now that the country has started to reopen,...

7 Charitable Giving Missteps and Higher Taxes on Capital Gains

Individuals, foundations, bequests, and corporations gave an estimated $449.6 billion to U.S. charities in 2019, according to findings in [[https://givingusa...

Economy and Taxes

Two things to discuss today: the economy (getting better) and taxes (going up?). Let’s dive in. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer and brighter. The economy is booming and we’re getting much closer to...

6 Tips for Spring-Cleaning Financial Clutter

Is a financial check-up on your Spring-Cleaning list? Once you've tidied your lawn and emptied that out-of-control closet, let some fresh air into your home office and use these six tips to freshen up how you spend, save, and plan for...

Could a Career Change Improve Your Return On Life

If you only enjoy the money you earn on weekends and holidays, it might be time to rethink how you’re earning your money. Sure, no one loves absolutely everything about their job. And the older we get, the more pressing our...

Higher Taxes in 2022?

More spending = higher taxes? That seems likely with a $2 trillion American Jobs Plan (that could eventually cost trillions more) on the table to bolster America’s crumbling infrastructure and invest in R&D.1 What could those tax...

Even Rock Stars Need an Estate Plan

"Don't stop thinking about tomorrow," sang Fleetwood Mac on their 1977 classic "Rumors." And band member Stevie Nicks is among a handful of rockers who seems to be putting those words into action. Recently, Nicks, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon...

Build Connections Post-Covid

As vaccine rollouts continue to progress, folks are starting to tiptoe out of their quarantine bubbles. But once the euphoria from that first dinner in a restaurant or group hang without masks passes, some people might find that...

4 Tips to Stay Healthy and Wealthy in Retirement

As you transition from full-time work to retirement, many items on your budget are going to decrease (daily transportation) or even disappear (your kids' tuition and food). Health care, however, is an ongoing expense that needs to be...

Relocating In Retirement? 4 Tips to Consider

Many aspects of retirement are changing, such as the health and activity level of seniors and a rise in working retirees. But many seniors are still very attached to one traditional retirement goal: selling the family house and moving...

Combine Volunteering and Travel

The pandemic prevented many retirees from enjoying two of the most popular and rewarding retirement activities: travelling and volunteering. Now that vaccines are rolling out and the world is starting to reopen, why not catch up on...

5 Habits That Can Lead to Lifelong Financial Freedom

Our Life-Centered Planning process is designed to help you and your family achieve important long-term goals like buying a house, sending your kids to college, and enjoying a secure and fulfilling retirement. But the journey to those...

Plan for Uncertainty it's Certain to Happen

Unfortunately, turning the calendar past 2020 hasn't erased all the problems that we've been facing for the past year. If feelings of uncertainty and anxiety are starting to get between you and your 2021 goals, use this three-step...

3 Tips for Becoming an Entrepreneur at Any Age

The Work from Home revolution and pandemic business disruption have motivated many aspiring entrepreneurs to take their shot in 2021. If you’re determined to make this the year that you promote yourself to Founder and CEO, these...

You Only Live Once, (#YOLO) So Plan Well

Since the end of January, #YOLO has been a rallying cry on internet message boards where amateur investors have driven up stock prices for video game retailer GameStop and movie theatre chain AMC. And while everyone should have...

What's Up with Gamestop and Market

Did you hear GameStop went viral? It's all over the media right now so it's hard not to have heard. Here’s a quick guide to the market frenzy you’re seeing in the headlines. (Buckle up, it’s a little complicated.)...

Have You Thought About Being A Mentor in Retirement?

Mentoring can be a fulfilling way for retirees to repurpose their professional skills, give back, and stay active. But there's more to building an effective mentoring relationship than just making yourself available for a chat. These...

Align Your Financial Plan with Your Values

Many people are discovering that their financial journeys are even more fulfilling when they align their plans with their values. These investing, spending, and giving strategies could help you grow your nest egg while also putting...

Enjoy the Process

How are your goals for the New Year progressing? If you’re like most people, you’ve probably passed a few exciting checkpoints while also tripping over a few pebbles. Some goals might be easier to spot on the horizon now...

Make Your Travel Plans Now

The first wave of COVID-19 vaccinations has lifted many spirits and raised expectations for the new year. Those shots have also inspired a sharp rise in travel bookings among folks who are hoping it will finally be safe to jump on an...

Make the Most of 2021

COVID-19 hampered so many of our plans for 2020 that the promise and potential of a new year feel a bit more special this January 1st. But having a renewed excitement to take control of the things we can control and make real changes...

Giving Can Be Better Than Receiving

What's on your holiday wish list this year? Good health? Festive cheer? A better year in 2021 for your loved ones and community? Reaching out and giving back could bring you gifts that will make these holidays truly special and set a...

Find Hobbies to Keep You Healthy

Hopefully, when you look out at your retirement $Lifeline, you see some big events that you’re excited to enjoy once the pandemic is behind us. But what about all those days in between? How are you planning to spend your time...

Make the Most of the Holidays

There's truth to the old adage, "Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations." According to many studies, 70% of families lose their wealth in two generations; 90% lose their wealth in three. And while the reasons for these...

Ways to Give Back During the Holidays

Tough times often bring people closer together. As Covid-19 continues to spread, our most vulnerable neighbors and the people who are caring for them need all the support and generosity that we can give this holiday season. Here are...

Enjoying Holidays During a Pandemic

At the time of year when we want to be closest to our loved ones, Covid-19 is still making it difficult to spend time together. Public health officials warn that indoor events pose a far greater risk of spreading the disease. And many...

Elections Matter: Your Life Transitions Are More Important

Elections Matter … Your Life Transitions Are More Important: Many folks are feeling as much anxiety about the end of this contentious presidential election as they were feeling during the long months of campaigning....

How to Make the Most of Fall ... During a Pandemic

How to Make the Most of Fall ... During a Pandemic Folks who are starting to feel that telltale chill in the air might feel a little extra motivation to take a fall trip this year. Outdoor activities are still the safest during the...

How Has Your Year Been?

October starts the fourth quarter of the year. In the business world, top companies kick off “Q4” by gathering together their leadership teams to assess what’s gone right this year, what’s gone wrong, and what...

Build Your Network and Give Back

Build Your Network and Give Back If Covid-19 and social justice movements have inspired your charitable side, you might consider approaching philanthropy the same way you would approach a career move. With so many people living and...

Have Some Downtime? Think About Retirement!

Use Downtime to Think About Retirement The coronavirus pandemic has forced many older workers to reassess their careers and how they view retirement. Folks who are fortunate enough to be working from home might be coping with a mix of...

WE ARE NOT IN THE SAME BOAT

I heard we are all in the same boat, but it's not like that. We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat. Your ship could be shipwrecked and mine might not be. Or vice versa. For some, quarantine is optimal. A moment of...

This Is Why I am an Optimist

“The toilet paper had armed guards.” “We celebrated my birthday with a dinner party over Zoom.” “My officemate jumped on my desk and drooled on my keyboard during a meeting.” One day, we’ll...

2 Stories of the Virus Crisis (Hope Inside)

It's absolutely bonkers, isn’t it? Across America, we’re working from home (many for the first time), homeschooling children (teachers deserve 10x what they get paid for this), and dealing with increasing levels of lockdown...

Pandemic, Bear Country, Toilet Paper, What to Do?

The pandemic is here and we’ve found ourselves in bear country without enough toilet paper. When markets fall as rapidly as they have over the last few weeks and the country is going into lockdown, it’s reasonable to be...

What's Going On With The Markets?

After weeks of headlines about the coronavirus outbreak, markets have been caught in a volatile pattern of surges and retreats. Here’s what you should know: Why are markets so volatile? Disease outbreaks are hard to predict and...

Secure Act--Major Retirement Account Changes

At the end of 2019, Congress passed the most sweeping change to retirement rules in over a decade.1 Known as the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act), this legislation went into effect on January 1,...

4 Step Process to Take Retirement for a Test Drive

How to Phase into Retirement and Take It for a Test Drive There are many reasons why people who could retire are hesitant to do so. Some people think they need to wait until they’re 65 or older. Some are worried about running out...

3 Life Insights from the Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos Divorce

3 Life Insights from the Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos Divorce One of the reasons that divorce is such a challenging life transition is its public nature. A couple might keep their problems private as they try to work through them. But if a...

Just Because the Market May Be Down Doesn't Mean You Have To Be

Don’t Let a Declining Stock Market Lead to A Down Life Big red arrows, panicked cable news experts, and the echo chambers of our social media feeds can make stock market volatility seem much worse than it actually is. If...

Giving Thanks

In our busy world all of us are so often busy doing. I'd encourage you this Thanksgiving to take a few moments to reflect on being. Click on this video link one of my clients shared with me about a beautiful Native American...

Divorce and Retirement Accounts Critical Update for Divorcees and Family Law Attorneys

Your Retirement Accounts Awarded in a Divorce May be in Jeopardy. A most interesting Minnesota appeals case recently came to my attention that has far reaching implications for divorcing individuals awarded all or part of their...

3 Ways to Know When You Are Ready to Retire

There’s a pretty good chance that your parents and grandparents retired just because they turned 65. Today’s retirement is a bit more complicated than that. While age is still an important factor, your ability to connect...

5 Next Steps When You Are Concerned About an Aging Parent

As your parents begin to settle into their final phase of life, their health, residence, and finances could become a factor in your retirement planning. This is especially true if you are the person your parents have tasked with...

4 Things to Consider Before Financially Bailing Out Your Adult Children

4 Things to Consider Before Financially Bailing Out Your Adult Children According to a recent study by TD Ameritrade, 25% of baby boomers are supporting their family members financially (1). Support to adult children averages out to...

How To Have More Fun and Meaning In Retirement

A blank calendar filled with nothing but free time can be every bit as stressful as a packed work week. That’s the surprising fact that many new retirees confront after a few days of hitting the snooze button and puttering around...

The Bull Keeps Running

You can be forgiven for wondering what all the hoopla was about when, on August 22, the newspapers erupted with the announcement that the current bull run in the U.S. stock market was the longest in history. Wasn’t the day before...

The Investment Called YOU!

Carl Richards, a colleague of mine who writes for the New York Times known as the sketch guy with Behavior Gap wrote this piece that focuses on YOU! At Integra Shield Financial Group our focus is always on you. Our goal is to help you...

What Is Financial Security?

You want to know the #1 rule of personal finance for couples? Spouses almost never agree on the definition of "financial security." Even the simple act of talking about what to do with extra money can cause conflict in relationships....

Have you completed a Paycheck Checkup?

In case you haven't heard many of our tax laws changed for 2018. It seems like everyday there are a plethora of posts about some aspect of the new law that took effect January 1, 2018. You may have already noticed a change in your take...