Blog

By Jeff Bernier

I was at a conference years ago when a speaker walked onto the stage, looked directly at the audience, and asked this question: “At what age are you going to die?”

It may sound morbid, but he was making a great point. Everyone in the audience had a different answer, and every answer was based on ideas they had formed based on how long their parents and grandparents lived, their own health and lifestyle, and much more. If you’re like most people, you have ‘your number’ in your head. But what most people don’t consider is that modern medicine, better living conditions, more healthy work environments, and other factors all add up to create much greater longevity. According to recent research , the life expectancy of a 50-year old has increased by an incredible 33 years over the past century. What the facts tell us is that almost everyone’s number—including yours—is probably flat out wrong.

By Jeff Bernier

For pilots, the pre-flight checklist is 100% mandatory. To be sure everything is in working order before leaving the ground, pilot and co-pilot work as a team. Together, they walk through each item on the checklist and verbally verify that every step has been completed. “Landing gear.” Check. “Flaps and slats.” Check. “Spoilers.” Check. “Autobrakes.” Check. Each of these items is carefully checked and crosschecked to keep the plane—and everyone onboard—safe and sound from takeoff to landing.

From a financial perspective, a detailed pre-flight checklist is just as important.

By Jeff Bernier

Last week, I turned off my computer, turned off my cell phone, and headed out for a Desert Day. It’s the time when, once every quarter, I take a day away from everything—work, play, and even my family—for some quiet alone time to think, pray, and “sharpen the saw” so I can be as grounded and productive as possible in the months to come.

By Jeff Bernier

Technology is changing our lives. And now it can potentially change your insurance rates. It’s all about the power of the ‘nudge.’

I’m not a marriage counselor or a psychologist, but boy, have I witnessed a lot of conflict among couples! As a financial planner, I’ve been helping people build stronger financial lives for almost 20 years, and I’m still amazed at the power money has to cause upset and arguments—even between the most loving, committed couples. In fact, if there’s one thing that can threaten the whole idea of marital bliss, I’m certain it is (you guessed it) money.

The last few months have been a whirlwind, and not in a good way. A wave of serious health issues has been turning life upside down for a too-large handful of our clients. The saving grace amid this sudden onslaught has been this: every family we’ve been helping to deal with a health issue each had a sound financial plan in place before their crisis hit. Plus, once they received a diagnosis, they each took the time to revisit their existing estate plan to be sure everything was in order and that their plan reflects the current tax law. Today, they each have a sound plan in place that is aligned with their wishes.

Do you?

If you’ve ever been to Las Vegas, you know just how tricky gambling can be. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. If you’re winning, the guy next to you admires your skill. If you’re losing, he’ll pity your bad luck. And whether you’re playing craps or black jack or a simple slot machine, every game you play gives you just enough wins to keep you smiling and playing, and just enough losses to keep the casino thriving. In the end it’s the casinos—not the gamblers—that are the biggest winners. There’s a reason they give you all those free drinks while they’re raking in your chips!

Seeing the loser’s game for what it is might be easy in Vegas, but for investors, the writing on the wall isn’t always so clear.

Yesterday was April 1st. I love that it was also Easter this year—the day of new beginnings—and the anniversary of my start as a financial planner 33 years ago.