Educational articles for thoughtful planning.
Plain-language pieces on financial planning, retirement, and working with an advisor. Educational only, not a recommendation, not financial advice.
Where are you in your planning?
Pick the one that sounds most like you. We'll line up the articles in a sensible order.
Just getting started
What a real plan looks like, when to begin, and how to make a first meeting useful.
3 articles · about 15 minNearing retirement
Your workplace plan, when to claim Social Security, and the tax items worth reviewing before year-end.
3 articles · about 19 minSaving for education
How 529 plans work, and how education savings fits with the rest of a family's plan.
2 articles · about 13 minChoosing an advisor
The questions to ask, and how to tell a thoughtful plan from a sales document.
2 articles · about 9 minEvery article.
How to Evaluate a Financial Plan
Not all financial plans are created equal. Here's what separates a thoughtful, integrated plan from a sales document, and the questions to ask when comparing them.
RetirementWhen to Start Retirement Planning
The honest answer is "earlier than you think." The more useful answer depends on where you are in life.
Working With An AdvisorQuestions to Ask a Financial Advisor in Your First Meeting
A first meeting with an advisor should feel like an interview, for both sides. Here are the questions that tend to surface what you actually need to know.
RetirementUnderstanding Your Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan
Your 401(k), or 403(b), SIMPLE, SEP, or 457, is probably the single most important benefit your employer offers. It's also the one most often misunderstood.
RetirementSocial Security at 62, Full Retirement Age, or 70?
Claiming Social Security at 62, full retirement age, or 70 can each make sense in the right circumstances. What changes at each age and how it fits into a broader retirement plan.
Tax PlanningMid-Year Tax Checkup: What to Review Before Q4
Withholding, RMDs, Roth conversion opportunities, capital gains, and charitable giving, reviewed before year-end options begin to narrow.
Education Planning529 Plans and Education Planning: What Families Should Know
How 529 plans fit into a broader education funding strategy, recent rule changes, and how education planning connects with the rest of your financial plan.