I have been reading for the last ten years that by 2035, the Social Security program will have to go through potential massive reduction in payout to stay solvent. This is an excerpt from the Social Security Administration:

The spring season is upon us, and with it comes a few things we can count on: the mud, the sun coming up as we get out of bed, and the sudden itch to look for a new house. When it comes to someone’s ability to purchase a home, the main factor often revolves around the mortgage payment. Usually, that payment is going to be dependent upon the current interest rates that are available in the market.

We are pressing forward into 2017, which I personally believe is going to be a great year! Although we were recently pummeled with snow, freezing rain, and winds that moved my kids trampoline from our backyard into our neighbor’s front yard, the two things that I can guarantee as a financial advisor are:

Roughly two months have passed since the election, and things appear to have calmed down. The chance for an overturn of the voting results looks very minimal with the inauguration of President Elect Trump around the corner. Agree with him or not, the stock market has made a move higher, as assumed economic growth policies are igniting hope in the hearts of investors. Whether these “policies” become real is yet to be determined; but, truth and time tell all. In my previous article, I referenced that the last time Republicans controlled Congress, the Senate, and the Oval Office was in 1928. Back then, the market shot higher for roughly a year before entering the Great Depression. I do not believe that history always repeats itself, but it does tend to rhyme.

With the election recently behind us, there are those still saddened by the results and those who are elated. I am hoping we’ll all find common ground as Americans and move forward together. Like it or not, we now have what I consider a Quasi Republican President, a Republican-controlled Senate, and a Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

Since the downturn in 2008 and the bankruptcy of General Motors in 2009, many employers have discontinued defined benefit plans – commonly referred to as pensions. Many have either discontinued the plans or have frozen them as “cost saving” measures. Others have replaced these costlier plans with the less expensive 401k plans. A 401k is a way for employers to put money into a retirement plan, but only if the employee also contributes to the plan. These contributions are often referred to as “matching contributions” and come in all shapes and sizes.  Some forward-thinking employers have also added a very valuable feature to their 401K plans called a “Roth 401k” Option.

As a result of this year’s market volatility and the unexpected news of Great Britain leaving the Eurozone, I’ve recently been approached by multiple people regarding the merits of having gold or goldminers as a part of their investment portfolio. I will make this very clear: the answer to this question is very situational and depends drastically on each individual’s goals, risk tolerance and time horizon. I would like to make a few simple observances regarding this decision.

As a father of two very active daughters ages 12 and 10, I’m always looking for things to keep my family engaged while trying to fully experience Genesee County. We are very fortunate to have so many unique local attractions, many of which are provided at no or little cost to the community and offer families opportunities for healthy experiences. At this point in the summer, most people have overextended their budgets with vacation costs. As well, they may have forked over a pile of money getting the kids ready to go back to school. I wanted to list a handful of local end-of-summer activities that are both rewarding and easy on the budget.

When it comes to this year’s financial markets, a few words may come to mind: volatile, frustrating, confusing, uncharted territory. All are very fitting when used to describe a market that began the first three weeks with a record-setting “worst start to the year ever” as reported by Bloomberg.com. This start of 2016 was met by a relentless move back to the year’s highs as Janet Yellen, Federal Reserve Chairwoman, signaled that she wouldn’t be raising rates as often as she had originally intended. The recent “Brexit” referendum that parted Great Britain from the European Union caused a two-day, 800+ point sell-off in the Dow Jones Industrial Average** only to be met by another relentless move back to the highs of the year. The move higher was attributed to many things; but in my opinion, the move by our British friends has made it almost impossible for Janet Yellen to raise rates any time within the next year or so.

Often, life’s lessons are learned through trial and error. When I was nine years old, I learned that I needed to wear a helmet doing tricks on my BMX bike. Unfortunately, I learned this when I had 47 stitches in my head after attempting an “Evil Knievel” long-distance jump and vaulting head-over-heels on the landing. Other lessons are learned through observation. I enjoy sharing with others what I’ve learned through experience. Here are five things I wish I’d known when I was younger about money and finance.

I have worked in the financial industry in Genesee County for a number of years. Our average clientele are hardworking, fun-loving people in their 50s-70s. They know what it means to put in a hard day’s work, and realize that Ben Franklin wasn’t kidding when he said, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Although there are very wealthy families in Genesee County, this article may speak more to those who fall right in the middle; the “Goldilocks Families” who are not too rich and not too poor, but just right. However, will you be “just right” to fund any skilled care needs in later years? Many people focus on saving for retirement so they can live a life of leisure, travel and spend time doing things they enjoy. These are terrific goals; but they tend to be achieved in the first 10-15 years of retirement.

The word “investing” typically has a different meaning for everyone. Throughout our lives, we need to make choices regarding our finances, and many of them are based upon our phase of life. For those of you wondering what steps you should be taking given your current age, I have laid out a little road map that may help you in your 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond.