fbpx

Money Psychology

Guard Against Junk Fees With DIY Transparency

In his State of the Union address, President Biden announced his intent to “take on junk fees.” These are the hidden fees involved with many of the services we purchase. I have written previously about undisclosed fees related to investments (annuities, private REITS,...

How Much Money Secrecy Equals Financial Infidelity?

Do you keep secrets about your spending from your significant other? Research shows that 44% of partners do. Some money secrets within a coupleship are matters of privacy or convenience, while others cross a line into financial infidelity. A recent survey by...

Investing, Done Correctly, Has Risks But Is Not Gambling

Is investing in the stock market akin to gambling? It certainly carries a reasonable amount of risk. Yet, done correctly, investing in the market is not remotely gambling. For comparison, consider games of chance. The best one to play is Blackjack. If you play every...

Ask For Transparency, Not Just Honesty, From Financial Advisors

Transparency is a highly valued attribute that is routinely promised—and frequently undelivered. In fact, it often seems that the more loudly transparency is touted, the more opaqueness is practiced. Perhaps Shakespeare’s famous line from Hamlet, “The lady doth...

Financial New Year’s Resolutions: Bah, Humbug!

Financial New Year’s resolutions are a common phenomenon this time of year—especially for anyone who overdid the holiday spending and who knows the new year is going to bring a new batch of credit card bills. Probably one of the most common financial resolutions is:...

How To Enjoy More Conscious Giving

This time of year, we are surrounded by opportunities to give. Both our email inboxes and our snail mailboxes are jammed with solicitations for donations to charities, food banks, religious organizations, arts organizations, and more. We can give locally, nationally,...