Blogs

For those planning for retirement, the events of 2020 have been especially worrisome and disruptive. We can't control pandemics, market fluctuations, or social unrest. But, we can focus on the blocking and tackling of retirement planning. Here are the three drills you can run...

They’re back!! It may be hard to believe but unfettered excitement over investing in technology stocks has returned with a vengeance. It feels like a lifetime ago – actually, barely five months – when fear swept through the financial markets as the Covid-19 global pandemic sent the world economy into an abyss. Entire economies were effectively shut down with ramifications as uncertain as predicting the weather. 

The latest episode of Taking Stock with Lisa Brown is Is Now the Time to Dial Down Risk?

While ensuring your documents and your household are in order is a critical step, it's only one part in the process of "finishing well." A fruitful and often ignored step is engaging in conversations with our family and friends about our thoughts and wishes for our living and dying. Here are recommendations for the who, what, when, where & why of end-of-life discussions.

After checking your medical plan, getting supplies, padding your bank account, getting an estate plan in order, and deciding if you will return to work and how you will handle childcare, you may be asking, “Am I all set?” “Is it smooth sailing from here on out?” Not quite! Let’s look at three more items that should be on your new parent financial checklist.

One thing that has become abundantly clear through the pandemic is the fundamental role of technology in our lives. Technology has helped to bridge some of the gaps between us, our loved ones, and our communities. Thanks to video chat, you’ve been able to check in on family across the country and participate in birthday parties and graduation celebrations. You’ve used streaming services to watch movies and listen to music. You’ve used online news services and social media to keep up with current events and essential healthcare developments. These were likely things you did before, but like many trends, they rapidly accelerated in 2020.

The decision of whether to return to work and setting up an estate plan are two of the most important financial decisions a parent needs to make. Patricia Sklar discusses both topics in this article.

The eleventh episode of Taking Stock with Lisa Brown is Charitable Giving in Up and Down Markets.

Episode 12 of Taking Stock with Lisa Brown is Downsized During the Pandemic and Losing Your 6-Figure Job.

The US is one of few  countries without national paid maternity leave. While the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guarantees 12 weeks of job-protected time off, this law only applies to public agencies, public and private elementary and secondary schools, and companies with 50 or more employees. Your employer decides whether, and how much you will be compensated when you go on leave. As a result, most families will need to protect themselves financially.