February 2018

Don’t Feel Guilty About Your Debt, Take Control

Submitted by Moneywatch Advisors on February 23rd, 2018

I have a fond memory of my maternal Grandfather sitting me down soon before I graduated from college and telling me, “Steve, whatever you do, don’t borrow money.” While Grandpa John lived far from an easy life as a dairy farmer in Nebraska, he and his mother did inherit the farm when his father died so he didn’t have to incur debt to get started. Circumstances are just different now. Buying a home or even a car is almost impossible without a mortgage or car loan. According to AARP, larger mortgages, higher student loans and a greater overall comfort with debt than displayed by earlier generations has increased the average debt for households approaching retirement by nearly 160% from 1989 to 2010.

I Spoke to a UK Investing Class: Thoughts From the Students

Submitted by Moneywatch Advisors on February 16th, 2018

Eric Monday, UK’s Executive VP for Finance, is one of the brightest people I have ever known but he had a brief lapse in judgment when he recently asked me to speak to his class titled, “Personal Investing and Financial Planning.” This is a class for non-Business majors who are interested in learning about financial planning, decision making and investing activities. They discuss and learn about stocks and bonds, 401(k)’s, IRA’s, insurance and many topics most of the population never learns or even considers. Dr. Monday asked me to speak to the class about my career path, particularly my experience as a client of a financial planner, then becoming one. The students were bright and engaged and here are a few of the topics we discussed and the students’ thoughts:

Four Things To Do During A Stock Market Downturn

Submitted by Moneywatch Advisors on February 9th, 2018

You have undoubtedly read and heard about the whiplash-producing stock market this week because the so-called experts at every newspaper and news channel have been talking about it incessantly. It reminds me of the breathless excitement of meteorologists prior to an anticipated snowstorm. In fact, these “experts” are about as accurate as the weather forecasters too. Part of the reason these trading days have been such a shock to many is that the markets have been so calm for so long. In fact, the market in 2017 exhibited the least volatility of any year in history. So, when we see a drop of 4% in the S&P 500 in one day, it is natural to feel some anxiety. Before you get too worked up, consider these four steps during a market downturn:

February 2018 Newsletter to Clients

Submitted by Moneywatch Advisors on February 6th, 2018

Enjoy this month’s edition that explores the human tendency to create bias and an important reminder on tax document mailings.

What I Learned In My First Year As A Financial Planner

Submitted by Moneywatch Advisors on February 2nd, 2018

Although I prepared by studying evenings and weekends for two years to meet the coursework and exam requirements of the Certified Financial Planner process, leaving my friends both at the University of Kentucky and in Frankfort wasn’t easy. After doing the same thing professionally for over 20 years, though, I was ready for a new challenge that would engage my brain in a new and different way. So, after 25 years’ experience as a client of Moneywatch Advisors, I joined the firm. After my first year in the financial planning profession, here is what I have learned – about our clients, about the financial services industry and, most important, about myself:

You are here

Looking to learn more?