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The Five Financial Foundations concept was developed over the last 30-plus years as a result of my life as a stockbroker, financial planner, and teacher. By observing real people who intuitively applied these basic principles, I was able to learn the simple secrets critical to building a secure financial life. In my book by the...

“Spend less than you earn” seems like simple enough counsel, but it is difficult to do in today’s world for many reasons. Here’s how to get started if you haven’t already developed a saving habit. Learning to save money is not unlike getting into physical condition. Imagine you want to get physically fit, and the...

Do you know where most people build up their biggest pile of wealth? Most people who work for a company or are otherwise employed and paid through wages often accumulate their greatest wealth in a company-sponsored retirement plan. There are a few lucky inheritors of wealth, although it’s been my observation that if you can’t...

A bond mutual fund is not the same thing as a bond. A bond represents the indebtedness of a company, government, or other entity that generally pays a fixed interest payment at intervals, often every six months. A bond has a specific maturity amount (face value) and a fixed maturity date when the principal is...

The conventional wisdom, in recent years, was that a retired person could withdraw 4 percent of their retirement account balance annually for income and very likely never deplete their nest egg. Though a good financial plan would go much deeper into the numbers regarding longevity, expected return based on risk, and spending patterns, this old...