Financial Clarity Blog

Continuing with the Financial Literacy Month theme, we thought it would be a good idea to list some valuable resources to grow your financial literacy. Rather than focus on one topic, like we typically do each week with the blog post, we’ll reference a number of resources that we and others have created to help you grow your financial knowledge and ultimately reach financial independence.

April is Financial Literacy Month, we figured it would help boost people’s financial literacy by putting together a short glossary of common finance vocabulary and jargon. You would need an entire dictionary or encyclopedia to cover all of the terms, but below are some of the more popular financial words or phrases you might hear and what they mean.

I have heard Mark Cuban in many interviews – he doesn’t shy away from the microphone. In one interview a handful of years ago, he was asked if he could replicate what he did with Broadcast.com by building another successful company. His answer was interesting to me. Cuban was confident he could grow another company and sell it to them for a handsome profit. However, he went on to say, doing it during one of the biggest stock market bubbles of all time is just plain luck. “I couldn’t replicate that.”

I’m really good at contradicting myself and making sense (in my head) while doing it. For example, I am a big advocate of setting goals and creating a plan to achieve those goals. The simple process of creating a goal and an action plan to achieve it can help you accomplish a lot. I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions because they are usually a half-hearted self-improvement “goal” that we bail on by February. For example, every year, I tell myself I will swear less, say more positive things, and less negative things. I don’t make much progress.

Identity theft is a relevant topic for all of us, especially this time of year during the peak holiday shopping season. A component of financial planning includes protecting our financial assets. As we transition into tax season in a couple of months, we also have to be vigilant of people stealing our identity to file tax returns on our behalf. We all know people who have identity theft stories, and they are never fun. Some of you have even experienced identity theft. Today we will look at ways to prevent identity theft so you can keep your personal information safe and away from the bad guys.

As a parent and a financial advisor, I feel a duty and obligation to teach my kids about money. It will be embarrassing for me if my kids aren't knowledgeable about money and finances by the time they are adults. Many of you are probably curious to learn effective ways to teach your kids about money as well. We all want our kids to grow up to be successful adults who make smart decisions, financial and otherwise. Today, we will walk through 11 ways to teach your kids about money so you can get them started on the right foot.

With Thanksgiving later this week and Christmas right around the corner, amidst the backdrop of a global pandemic, many will be looking for alternative ways to be spending time this holiday season. So whether you're driving to visit loved ones safely, escape the city for the mountains, or are looking for something fun to listen to to pass the time, here is a list of our ten favorite podcasts. We hope you enjoy and learn something new!

You have probably noticed that none of the books I recommend have get-rich-quick hacks or double-top-secret investment tips. You know why? Those types of books are useless and misleading. As it turns out, the best investment advice and tips for getting rich are quite boring. You don’t even need a full book to cover it all. It can be summed up pretty concisely – work hard, spend less than you earn, invest the difference.

The weather here in the Pacific Northwest may be making it hard to believe -- but summer is quickly approaching. June 20, this Saturday, is the official first-day summer, and to celebrate, we wanted to share with you some of our favorite summer reads. Here, you will find a list of various books we love. We hope you enjoy and maybe find a new book to throw in the mix this summer!

With healthcare workers on the frontlines of this COVID-19 battle, many companies have stepped up to offer perks, discounts and freebies for healthcare workers.