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We Married for the Money

We Married for the Money

Ray and Reynaldo are an older couple who got used to a life where marriage wasn’t an option.  They had their version of a ceremony and did some planning to ensure their goals would be achieved many years ago, and no one got down on one knee once it became legal for same-sex couples to marry. ...
The Indefinite Marital Separation

The Indefinite Marital Separation

Seven years ago, my friend Tom came out as gay to his wife, Debra, so they separated. He’s been dating a guy named Terrell for the past year. There’s just one little twist: he and Debra never divorced. So what exactly does this mean for their finances? Permanent and long-term separations are
Expand Beyond Goals

Expand Beyond Goals

Terry, a retired older friend of mine, inherited a large sum of money from his dad. Since Terry has already achieved his fundamental goal of having financial freedom and doesn’t need the money to support his lifestyle, he is left the portfolio on autopilot and hasn’t asked any questions about ...
Principal Invasion

Principal Invasion

Two retirees walk into a bar. One guy tells the bartender that he wants a portfolio of dividend-paying stocks where he can live entirely off of the income it generates. The other guy says he wants a portfolio that can provide him stable cash flow for the rest of his life. The bartender says, ...
Coming Clean With Your Finances

Coming Clean With Your Finances

A scuba diver usually needs to load himself with additional weight before he begins. If he provides an artificially low number when asked what he weighs, he may struggle to get below the surface and to stay down once his tank is low on air (a buoyancy thing). In other words, disclosing the ...
Retire Early or Work Forever – Who Lives Longer?

Retire Early or Work Forever – Who Lives Longer?

When I posed a question on Facebook, asking people how they felt about “retirement” the replies ranged from “I plan on working into my 90s,” to “I retired at 55 and am loving it.” People wanted either financial freedom ASAP or to work, in some capacity, forever. Surprisingly, no one said they ...