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Budgeting is a Waste of Time I’ve wasted countless hours trying to track my cash flow and budget. Over the years I’ve tried all of the personal financial planning tools. Quicken, Microsoft Money, iBank, Mint, Personal Capital, eMoney. The list goes on. In the early days it required physically inputting all of my receipts. In […]

Nearly a year into the pandemic, individuals everywhere are experiencing emotional, physical and economical implications. In an effort to ease the pandemic’s detrimental effects, the federal government has recently passed a second stimulus package as part of the larger National Defense Authorization Act. Eligible individuals and families will receive stimulus checks up to $600 per

BIRCH INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PLEDGES 1% OF ALL SALES TO ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES Birch Investment Management joined 1% for the Planet, pledging to donate 1% of annual sales to support nonprofit organizations focused on the environment.  At Birch Investment Management, we believe in the power of long-term thinking. As we invest our clients’ wealth and build our

Investment Risk There’s a degree of risk in any financial investment. There are no sure winners and no sure losers, either. How comfortable you are with the latter statement may give you a clue as to your risk tolerance. You can think of risk tolerance not only as how much you are willing to lose

First – The Free Downloads! Letter of Instruction for Estate Planning.docx (Free Word Doc – Editable) Executor Checklist (Free PDF) What Is a Letter of Instruction? Having an up-to-date will is an excellent step in establishing an estate plan. It provides legal protection, structure to loved ones and starts the process of dispersing property. A will distributes

The year 2020 has tested us from every aspect. Be it the financial sector, health sector, or our survival strategy; the COVID-19 has assessed us in every way. The pandemic has forced us to rethink our lifestyle. With millions of job losses and death toll, we have surrendered before the corona pandemic in 2020. But there is

In a Corporate Merger or Sale, What Happens to Your 401(k)? Corporate mergers are nerve-wracking because they introduce a lot of unknowns into your life. Immediate questions come to mind. How will it affect your position? Your salary? Will there be layoffs? After the initial shock, other questions arise. If your employer is sold, what

MY LEAST FAVORITE QUESTION TO BE ASKED AS A FINANCIAL ADVISOR Once someone knows that I manage investments for a living it’s not long before the question comes up: “what did the stock market do today?” Sometimes I’ll pause and look at my phone to provide the answer. But the truth is usually my response

Who is USAA? Founded in 1922, USAA serves military members and their families. They provide insurance, banking, investments and retirement products to more than 13 million members.  Who is Charles Schwab? Founded in 1973, Charles Schwab is a financial services company focused on investment management.  Is Schwab buying USAA? No. USAA sold their investment businesses so they could focus

Do You Need a Financial Advisor? I believe most people can implement simple steps to improve their financial lives without the use of an advisor. Before investing in the stock and bond markets there are a few key financial to dos that should be checked off first. You may review our blog post on the