“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” - Benjamin Franklin

You've been dedicated to your career - loved your job - but recently you're not so sure the hours or stress are worth it.

Even the most seasoned investors are prone to their influence.

Investors are routinely warned about allowing their emotions to influence their decisions. However, they are less routinely cautioned about their preconceptions and biases that may color their financial choices.

In a battle between the facts & biases, our biases may win. If we acknowledge this tendency, we may be able to avoid some unexamined choices when it comes to personal finance. It may actually "pay" to recognize blind spots and biases with investing. Here are some common examples of bias creeping into our financial lives.

How many pieces do you have in place?

When you read about money matters, you will sometimes see the phrase, “getting your financial house in order.” What exactly does that mean?

When your financial “house is in order,” it means it is built on a solid foundation. It means that you have six fundamental “pillars” in place that are either crucial for sustaining your financial well-being or creating wealth.

Some life and financial factors that can sometimes be overlooked.

We all have our “blue sky” visions of the way retirement should be, yet our futures may unfold in ways we do not predict. So, as you think about your “second act,” you may want to consider some life and financial factors that can suddenly arise.

You may end up retiring earlier than you expect. If you leave the workforce at “full” retirement age (FRA), which is 67 for those born in 1960 and later, you may be eligible to claim “full” Social Security benefits. Working until 67 may be worthwhile because it will reduce your monthly Social Security benefits if you claim them between age 62 and your FRA.¹

Over the past months much has been said about how the presidential election might impact the stock market. Although we can't predict what will happen in this unexpected year, we can learn a lot from history.

Do you have a "Zombie Plan" roaming around somewhere in your financial past? An old 401(k), 403(b), or other employer sponsored plan that's been neglected and untouched for so long that it's almost left for dead!

How much do you know about the different coverage options?

Medicare’s open enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7. If you are enrolling in Medicare for the first time, give yourself plenty of time. You may discover that it is much more complex than an employer-sponsored group health plan.¹

When you enroll in Medicare, you pay multiple premiums for multiple types of coverage (Parts A and B, as well as the Part D prescription drug plan). Unlike a group health plan, there are no caps on out-of-pocket costs and a risk that you might have to pay a hospital insurance deductible more than once per year. Original Medicare also does not cover some costs that many seniors would like to cover, such as dental and vision care expenses.²

Separating some eldercare facts from eldercare myths.

How much does eldercare cost, and how do you arrange it when it is needed? The average person might have difficulty answering those two questions, for the answers are not widely known. For clarification, here are some facts to dispel some myths.

True or false: Medicare will pay for your mom or dad’s nursing home care.
FALSE. Medicare is not extended care insurance.¹

Medicare Part A will pay the bill for up to 20 days of skilled nursing facility (SNF) care, but after that, you or your parents may have to cover some costs out-of-pocket. After 100 days in a SNF, you will have to cover all costs out of pocket. The only way to “reset the clock” for Medicare coverage of these services is if