This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3CVMVkh For me, it was working full-time and attending class in the evening. I saw the burden student debt had on many of my peers, so I chose to pay-as-I-go. Cost and availability of evening classes definitely filtered down my options for college. Today, I want to discuss how you can expand those education options for future generations with good planning and one particular strategy. I hope you will join us as I provide a little more background on my ow...
Jun 30, 2023•24 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3qJPIu7 Don’t get me started on medical billing; we’ve got history. In all seriousness, the whole healthcare system has been a major frustration of mine for years. As a single guy, I never had to interact much with my health coverage – I rarely went to the doctor. With getting married and starting a family, much of this changed. Today I will discuss how I morphed these frustrations into a financial planning solution. My hope is that by sharing my approac...
Jun 16, 2023•24 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3NlwmE8 Making pizza is all about timing. Do you know what else is all about timing? Roth conversions. Yup, just as the title alluded to, today we are discussing pizza dough and Roth conversions. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com...
Jun 09, 2023•28 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/45WjDzp In sports, a fair-weather fan is a term for fans who only show up when their teams perform well. We also have a term for fans that rotate their allegiance based on which team is winning and, in vogue, a bandwagon fan While you have to respect those whose fanhood runs deeper than the current performance of their beloved team, born out of loyalty to one's family heritage or hometown, however, your investment strategy must have deeper intellectual r...
Jun 02, 2023•25 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3BX4Fve The financial planning industry is obsessed with talking about (1) you not outliving your nest egg and (2) the proper planning on bequeathing your wealth. Yet, there is very little discussion about how one would enjoy their legacy during their lifetime. Today, we will discuss the reality of future financial leftovers and the importance of planning for those leftovers now. We will talk about the process of breaking your financial plan, setting dre...
May 26, 2023•31 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3MILA6a From my vantage point, a lot of investors are sitting on their hands right now. There seems to be a hesitation to buy real estate, stocks, and any other risk assets. Everyone is in a sit-and-wait posture. I believe much of this is driven by fear, a fear that can be paralyzing for many. Yet, your financial goals do not sit-and-wait. They are dependent on prudent financial decisions and actions. Please join me as we unpack this further in today’s T...
May 19, 2023•27 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3Vy7trq Please join me today for a few fun stories. You will learn about the number one rule in our house growing up and how I absolutely butchered the catering order for my son's 1st birthday. As I typically do, these stories will bring us back to financial planning. I will explain why accurately estimating your expenses may be the most important component of your financial plan. Additionally, I will walk you through some practical steps for how you can...
May 05, 2023•23 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3oDKHlx I’m not sure if this is a cultural phenomenon or just how we are wired as humans, but I see so many people agonize and dwell on the minors while ignoring the majors. You can’t stop thinking about that nick on your new car, your teenage daughter can’t stop looking at that pimple in the mirror, your husband can’t stop complaining about that slightly crooked outlet in your home. We tend to obsess over the small (the minor) while failing to focus or ...
Apr 28, 2023•26 min
This week's blogpost - This may seem silly, but I do believe it’s important for you to be aware of who you are, how you operate, and what type of financial environment suits you best. Sure, we could poke fun at smaller plate sizes or coloring books during lesson time, but we also have to realize that our success will depend on these types of strategies and approaches that help protect us from our most common financial obstacles. For me, the art of earmarking is such a key component of my own fin...
Apr 21, 2023•27 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/415sGen One of the most difficult things for me when I quit competing as a cyclist was staying motivated to exercise. I quit competing when I was 20 and continued to work at a fitness center for the next five years, yet I had so much trouble finding the motivation to work out. There really should’ve been no excuses – I had a free gym membership, and I could’ve worked out before work, during lunch, after work, or really any time – the gym was open 24 hour...
Apr 14, 2023•27 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3nOuUA2 Today we will revisit an article I wrote back in February of 2020, which seems like forever ago. There is such a benefit to reflect on how we were thinking back then and how things played out over the next two years. The original article was inspired by a conversation with a friend who abandoned his investment strategy. I recently had the opportunity to speak with him and see how this change of course has impacted his portfolio over the last coup...
Apr 07, 2023•31 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3luKIY5 Growing up, I had a lot of pets; my family loved animals. We had cats, we had dogs. We had snakes, we had lizards. We had turtles, we had rabbits. At one point, I think we may have had a chinchilla. When I was in kindergarten, we had a whippet, a dog breed that looked almost like a miniature greyhound. His name was Whip. Real clever, right? In high school, my mom ended up adopting/rescuing a chihuahua. This was around the same time as those Taco ...
Mar 24, 2023•29 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/42mZeRZ I was at a tension point with what I wanted to discuss here on Thoughts On Money today; I was really feeling torn. The newsfeed this week has been absolutely flooded with analysis, opinion, and speculation on the demise of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). What you don’t need is another opinion or perspective on what happened. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com...
Mar 17, 2023•33 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3T5kkjI I have a simple truth to present to you today – if it seems too good to be true, it’s probably too good to be true. Please join me as we navigate the importance of investor maturity and how some financial products aren’t always as they seem. I will take you in a time machine back to the start of my career, provide you with some shocking comparisons, and much more. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup....
Mar 10, 2023•30 min
Today's Post - https://bahnsen.co/3J91t3Q Today I want to discuss a very simple and actionable planning item – the interest rate you are earning on your cash. As we know, inflation and interest rates are spiking, yet still, the national average yield for savings accounts is less than 0.25%. Please join me as we dive right in and address what a saver is to do in these interesting times we are living in. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com...
Mar 03, 2023•21 min
Last week I celebrated my birthday, and this week I got to enjoy one of my birthday gifts – Warriors tickets (NBA basketball). My in-laws sweetened this gift by also volunteering to watch our kids, so my wife and I could go together. The drive from home to the arena is modest in miles and daunting in drive time – LA traffic. I laugh in hindsight, but I was fumbling to find directions, as I kept asking Siri to pull up directions based on the old name of the arena. I’d ask to be navigated to “Stap...
Feb 17, 2023•30 min
First, a false alarm (fire drill) interrupted a client conversation at the office. Next, a false alarm woke me up from a dead sleep at home. Today, we will discuss the importance of not mistaking false alarms for fires when it comes to investing. A simple financial truth that I’d encourage you to heed. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com...
Feb 10, 2023•25 min
Today, I’d like to address a financial misconception that’s running rampant right now in the world of personal finance. Financial anxiety and economic uncertainty are spiking, and investors are speculating if we are in a recession, approaching a recession, or potentially avoiding a recession. This climate, and the overall general sentiment, have left many investors wanting to avoid risk assets like the plague. The beauty queen of the last 6 months or so has been the two-year treasury. I can’t te...
Feb 03, 2023•27 min
Today I would like to address a very simple question: where do you go for advice A very straightforward inquiry but an important one nonetheless. As it often is in personal finance, sometimes the simplest questions can be the most revealing and thought-provoking. To help illustrate what I’m referring to here, I’d like to start with a personal story that I’m sure some of you can relate to. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com...
Jan 27, 2023•22 min
In the last week or so, I’ve fielded numerous calls that have all revolved around the same or similar questions. An investor has some surplus savings they’ve earmarked to spend in the near future, and they are wondering where to park these funds. I’ve found myself repeatedly cautioning people away from placing short-term monies into long-term investments. This a good reminder for all of us regarding the importance of respecting time horizons. Please join me while I unpack this crucial financial ...
Jan 13, 2023•25 min
Each and every one of us needs A.A. (Awareness and Accountability). The path to successful investing relies on (1) educating ourselves to become aware of what good investor behavior looks like and (2) resourcing the right advice-giver to help hold us accountable to making good decisions. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com...
Jan 06, 2023•21 min
As we wrap up 2022, what better time than now to reflect on our blessings and begin to meditate on our own financial objectives for the coming year. For some, prioritization will be key and candid conversations with their financial advisor on these matters will be important. For others, a reminder is needed that with wealth comes responsibility and an added level of complexity as we layer on the piece regarding legacy planning. For the Cummings household, we are feeling absolutely blessed by our...
Dec 22, 2022•28 min
Today, I would like to answer the question that has no right answer. Sounds like a fun little exercise, right? I want you to take a moment and ponder this query: What is the single most important word in personal finance? One’s answer to this question could evolve and morph over time. Depending on your season of life or recent experiences, perhaps your answer changes. For others, maybe the answer to this question is the same as yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Personal finance is… personal. So, y...
Dec 16, 2022•24 min
You know that friend, the one who always has a counterargument, an obscure factoid, or tidbit they throw out; the one who’s always looking for a drop-the-mic type moment – the devil’s advocate in all situations. Their comments always sound something like, “I read this article once…” or “This survey actually showed that…” or “Despite the common assumption…” The friend that has a hand full of these trump cards he or she is always ready to drop. I hope my friends aren’t reading this because they mi...
Dec 01, 2022•24 min
STOP!! DON’T DO IT!! You just had a conversation with your second cousin's husband over Thanksgiving dinner, and he gave you this “great” investment idea or financial advice. His pitch was persuasive, and that finance class he took in college, along with his morning habit of reading the Wall Street Journal, makes him seem credible. In all reality, that extra dose of tryptophan from your second helping of turkey doesn’t only make you sleepy, it also makes you susceptible to bad financial decision...
Nov 23, 2022•18 min
End-of-year planning has officially begun. My days are filled with questions about tax loss harvesting, end-of-year retirement contributions, and a plethora of inquiries about Roth conversions. It’s always been my preference here on Thoughts On Money to tackle the “softer side” of financial planning, and I typically veer away from the more technical or nuanced topics. Primarily because these topics can be a bit of a snooze for the average reader, and my hope is that you would collaborate with yo...
Nov 18, 2022•18 min
In the last few weeks, I have had more conversations about a recession – and what that would mean to markets – than I’ve ever had in my entire career. As I’ve mentioned before, I heard one pundit cleverly ascribe this as the most anticipated recession of all time. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com
Nov 04, 2022•28 min
This week on Thoughts On Money I would like to dive into a question a client recently asked me. The question was focused around how an investor stays engaged in the daily happenings of markets without negatively impacting their posture as a long term investor. Often the news of the day can be troubling, and sometimes the barrage of content can cause us to take our eyes off the prize – our long term goals. So, please join me as I explain how parenting, surgery, and investing all have a lot in com...
Oct 28, 2022•24 min
In 2004, Matthew Emmons would make one of the most memorable Olympic blunders in history. I encourage you to join us for our discussion today on the importance of aiming at the right financial targets. Come learn about Emmons's big miss and how you can avoid making the same mistake with your personal finances. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com...
Oct 14, 2022•29 min
September. Was. Ugly. The S&P 500 was down more than 9% in the month of September alone. Markets were dropping, and investors were stressing. When it comes to investing, we have a lot of metrics and measurements to analyze investments. We typically like to express these measurements in ratios – allowing us to compare one particular figure with another. Think return-on-investment or price-to-earnings ratios. Here’s a ratio you won’t find in your financial textbook: return on stress. As you mi...
Oct 07, 2022•31 min
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