America is enduring a data breach problem. As many workers traded in the office for remote work, data security has been a focus for the public and private sectors. Between robocalls pitching low-cost health insurance, pretending to be the I.R.S., or offering “work from home” opportunities, the pandemic has seen scammers getting more creative than they’ve ever been.¹

Human nature is so interesting! I love to watch people, and I love to see their reactions as they are going through life. When they’re at Walmart (that’s interesting!) Out grocery shopping. With family. As you observe people in various situations you see all types of emotions and reactions.

Are you a risk-taker or do you play it safe? Do you jump out of airplanes for fun or is getting an extra serving of sprinkles on your soft serve your idea of risk? Each of us can look at our behaviors and determine whether the life we lead is high-flying risky or plain-vanilla safe. But can we do the same for our investments? Can you look at the stocks or funds you own and get a good idea of how risky your portfolio is? The answer is probably no.

We live in a "do it yourself" world. There are television networks and countless websites dedicated to learning how to "DIY" tasks that previously one would pay to have done for them.  

Today we’re taking a look at the important topic of Risk in your investment portfolio. What do you need to know about investment risk?  How can you be sure that you have the right amount of risk in your portfolio?

Financial planning is a huge part of what we do here at Creekmur Wealth Advisors, so it's no surprise that tax planning is one area we spend a lot of time working in. When I talk about tax planning I am not talking about filling out and submitting your tax return every April 15^th. Filing your taxes is necessary, but it's reactive or backward-looking. Tax planning, on the other hand, is a forward-looking, comprehensive approach to reducing lifetime taxes and increasing overall after-tax wealth.