Blog

A recent survey reported that 68% of parents had made financial sacrifices to support their adult children. It's often a difficult decision that can stress relationships, impact retirement strategies, and harm overall financial...

One of my favorite Warren Buffett quotes is, “Remember that the stock market is a manic depressive.”What he’s suggesting is that stock prices can sometimes swing wildly from day to day in response to even minor news....

No one is perfect—not even the smartest or most famous among us. But some people appear to avoid errors more than others.  Take the self-made Super Rich—a group we define as those with a net worth of $500 million...

The Opportunity Cost of Inflation

Michael A. Spieler

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Even before the word "inflation" was dominating our headlines causing people to evaluate the opportunity of cost of various expenditures, I've always encouraged my clients to think in this manner.  What is important to one...

In the final days of 2022, Congress passed a new set of retirement rules designed to make it easier to contribute to retirement plans and access those funds earmarked for retirement.The law is called SECURE 2.0, and it's a follow-up to...

As we near the year-end and our focus shifts to the holidays, there are a few areas related to your finances you should review.  Here are four that shouldn’t take too much time but could have a big impact.1...

Holiday Family Gathering Survival Guide

Kristin Spieler

Friday, November 11, 2022

With Thanksgiving less than 2 weeks away, I know there are many people worried about how to engage with their family during the holidays so that the evening doesn’t end with the start of WWIII.  I may not be a therapist or...

Do you want to have a major impact on a charity or cause that means a great deal to you? Do you want to dowell financially by doing good for others in need? If so, you’ve got plenty of company. One top financial issue wehear...

How well do you remember 1981? Harrison Ford had his first bow as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Frogger and Donkey Kong were all the rage at video arcades. Bob Ross left the Air Force and took up painting. On top of that,...

It can be all too easy to focus on just one aspect of your financial life—and in doing so, miss opportunities aswell as incur unnecessary risk.That’s where wealth planning comes in. Wealth planning is all about examining...

Have you heard? The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law on Tuesday, August 16. While the $430 billion package includes many provisions, I thought I’d highlight three key areas where you may benefit the most.Tax credits...

Many of us have thought about how to best transfer our wealth to our heirs someday. Unfortunately, we see that parents and grandparents with significant assets often don’t spend enough time on passing along the values...

Small Things Are Big Too

Michael A. Spieler

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

Ten years ago, Kristin and I made a commitment that for every 529 account that was opened that year we would sponsor a child through Compassion International.  We chose a few younger children from various countries but we also...

Left Brain vs. Right Brain Financial Planning

Michael A. Spieler

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

There have been a lot of articles written over the years about the influence of the left brain vs. right brain when it comes to how people save, spend and invest.  Although people use both parts of their brain on a daily...

Hardly a day goes by that the topic of bitcoin or other cryptocurrency assets doesn’t come up in meetings with clients and prospects or from friends and relatives who want to know, “what all the buzz is about?” The...

Last May we purchased an outdoor patio table with a delivery date of June so we would have it just in time for summer. A month later we were told there was a shipping delay and it was now expected to arrive in September. Last week we...

Regardless of how Covid-19 has affected your personal health, chances are that it has made a difference in the health care you receive and are able to access. We asked Dan Carlin, M.D., CEO and founder of concierge telemedical practice...

We know that many of you are concerned about some of the current events and topics that are often being discussed, such as social injustice, human rights and other issues. As each of your positions and responses to these issues...

The pandemic has impacted people’s financial lives in ways both large and small. For many of us, it’s changed how we spend our money, and therefore how we accumulate and use those oh-so-desirable rewards doled out by our...

Recently, you may have seen reports that a record-low number of homes are available for sale—roughly 1.03 million nationwide. If you compare that to the average number of homes for sale during the past 10 years, it's no surprise...

President Joe Biden introduced the much-anticipated American Jobs Plan, which outlines an approach to spend roughly $2.2 trillion on the nation's infrastructure and other projects. As part of the legislative process, the Biden...

You may have heard the news about stocks for certain companies suddenly ballooning, quickly going from lunch money prices to several hundred dollars a share. In one case, the shares rose over 1700% since December 2020.1 So, what...

As President Biden begins his first full week in office, it's a great time to review what type of legislative support would be needed to pass certain policy proposals that may come forward from the Biden Administration. It's important...

As the United States sees a rise in cases of COVID-19 across the nation, news of two promising vaccines out of hundreds being tested has offered a ray of hope for a fatigued world.1 A positive reaction to these vaccines affects every...

Americans are some of the most charitable people in the world.* Chances are, you use some of your wealth to support favorite causes or organizations that are important to you. But those contributions may not be having as big an impact...

As we look towards next year, it’s a good time to review what type of legislative support would be needed to pass certain proposals that were discussed during the election.. The key item to remember is that any change will...

It’s a startling statistic. 45% of consumers with $100,000 or more investable assets expect to make changes to their investments due to the upcoming 2020 presidential election.1 Second-guessing your investment strategy is...

It should come as no surprise to hear the economy is the top issue for voters in the 2020 election. Nearly 8 in ten voters say that the economy will be very important to them when they cast their votes.1 But when voters say...

The number of at-home workers has skyrocketed this year as the novel coronavirus caused companies across the country to temporarily lock their doors. As a result, some business experts are suggesting that remote working—already a...

Here’s an uncomfortable truth you need to accept: Someday—hopefully in the very distant future—you are going to die. The good news: You can make that moment easier on your heirs by taking a few simple steps. One of...

In the era of COVID-19, and the financial woes it has created, I often get asked, “Why is the stock market holding up so well when the economy appears to be struggling?”To understand why the markets react — or...

The powerful benefits of thoughtful action When people are confronted with adversity, opportunity or both, they often react quickly—with the intention of dealing with the situation rapidly and moving forward. These reflexively...

With any crisis in life, there are always lessons to be learned from the experience, especially during such an unprecedented time as what we are living through right now. Between what I've read in the news the past few weeks along with...

They say we get wiser as we get older, but let’s face it: Many new uncertainties and challenges can crop up as people get deeper into their golden years. Changes in physical health and issues with memory can mean you—or...

If you are part of the 68 percent of U.S. households that own a pet*, you probably think of it as a true member of the family—one you love and cherish. But what would happen to that cherished family member if you were to die...

Last month the Secure Act was signed into law and includes some significant changes to retirement plans. While clarification of the rules, especially regarding exemptions, are likely to be communicated as the year goes on, below is a...

Reclaim your time and energy to live your best life Each of us has just 168 hours per week to accomplish our tasks and goals—at work, at home and out in the world. If you feel like you spend too much of that time on things that...

We have a lot of Christmas traditions in the Spieler home, one of them being Polish Sausage and Corn Rye Bread for breakfast on Christmas morning in honor of my family history and upbringing. But on my wife's side of the family, it is...

Life insurance can be an extremely important, even essential, part of your financial plan. One of its most attractive aspects for many individuals and families is the death benefit of the policy—the money that the insurance...

Significant wealth can reduce many of life’s trouble—but it can’t eliminate them entirely. Even the richest among us have fears. What’s more, they often share many of the same worries the rest of us have. But...

Many wealthy people have a much better handle than others on a key concept of success: the long game. The long game means having a concrete vision of your ideal future down the road—years or even decades from...

During the summer I always enjoy having extra time with my kids that is free from homework or sports. One of the things they love to do with me is play Monopoly. Usually we start a game and then take a whole week to complete it;...

During the year of a child's 18th birthday, many families begin preparing them to start college. While the primary focus is buying school supplies, paying the tuition and double checking that they packed their sweaters for winter, an...

While the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 impacted everyone when filing tax returns last April, it also opened the door to make changes to people's estate plans. One current issue potentially impacting people are those with Trusts that...

Last month I attended our annual Strategic Financial Alliance (SFA) conference. For those that are not familiar, SFA is our broker dealer - the firm through which Sherpa can provide a full range of products and services and which helps...

As a successful person with big goals, you require truly valuable financial advice that maximizes your ability to achieve your most important personal and professional financial objectives. That means you need to work with...

If a few million dollars fell into your lap tomorrow, what would you do? Sudden wealth isn’t a common or reliable way to get rich, but it can and does happen. Some big drivers of sudden wealth include:•...

If you’ve amassed sizable wealth, or are on the right path and getting there, it may be time to consider how to pass on some of that money to children and grandchildren—without creating big problems that could harm their...

A few years ago, after hearing about everyone celebrating their delicious fried turkeys, we decided to try something different with our Thanksgiving turkey. Rather than buy a fryer, we turned to what we already had, a barbecue! I...

What would happen if you or your child caused a car accident that resulted in serious injuries or thedeaths of others? How would you pay for the treatment and damages of someone who was hurt in your home and claimednegligence? What...

Many successful families use trusts to minimize taxes, transfer wealth and protect assets from creditors and others. You may have already set up a trust, or you may hold an inheritance you received in a trust that was created decades...

There’s a great quote by Jean-Paul Sartre: “We are our choices.” When it comes to our happiness and our overall success in life, that’s truer than you might have realized. Taking time to examine the choices you...

With all the ups and downs we're seeing in the market these days, we realize many people might be feeling anxious and have questions about if they should be making changes to their investments. As you know, while past performance is no...

One key way to build serious wealth—whether in a business or your everyday life—is to effectively and consistently negotiate deals that are good for you and your bottom line. Ideally, everyone walks away from a negotiation...

Being named the executor of a family member’s (or other loved one’s) estate is, in many ways, an honor. The decision shows that the person saw you as a highly trustworthy, capable person of integrity. But it’s also a...

In honor of Valentines Day, I thought a candy recipe would be timely and helpful if you are still trying to figure out how to celebrate celebrate those you love. In fact, this is fun (and much faster) to do as a group so you could even...

What our research shows about how the self-made Super Rich build their wealth If you are like nearly every other successful person, you’re not ready to rest on your accomplishments. You want to build on your success so far to...

Getting your family involved in charitable giving can create a powerful legacy A growing number of successful people have a strong urge to “pay it forward” by financially supporting causes and organizations that are near...

For so many of us, family is paramount. You probably expect to use your wealth to take care of your family in the here and now—health care, travel, college tuition and the like. But chances are you haven’t thought nearly...

Our desire to help people extends beyond helping clients with their personal finances. Because we believe that people are blessed in order that they may be a blessing to others, we choose to give to various organizations through our...

We recently created two short videos which highlight the unique work that we are doing at Sherpa Financial Advisors. Both videos are less than 2 minutes long. The first one discusses how and why we consider ourselves to be somewhat...

As the old adage says, stocks like a good economy (investors are willing to take on more risk for the potential returns) and bonds like a bad economy (investors shift to safer investments like bonds). So, where are we? The US stock...

Mike's "famous" barbecue chicken recipe.

It’s time to tackle the final three topics from this series! In Part 3, we’re covering teaching your kids to manage money (Entitlement reform), reducing healthcare costs (Healthcare), and communication with your spouse about money...

We hope you enjoyed and found Part 1 of this series informative. As a reminder, in spirit with the upcoming elections, I've arranged a personal finance metaphorical slant to the political issues being discussed. Each week I will be...

In spirit with the upcoming election, I thought I’d put a personal finance metaphorical twist on some of the more hotly debated issues and, unlike many politicians, provide some real answers that actually mean something to you! Every...