Insights & Education
The Park Lake
Perspective
Financial planning, investing and everyday money decisions can get complicated. The Park Lake Perspective offers practical thoughts and explanations designed to help you better understand the financial issues that may affect your life.
Financial topics explained in plain English.
Featured Perspective
Your Financial Health Checklist: Mid-Year Money Moves
Just like you might check your car before a summer road trip up north or get the lawn mower tuned up, taking some time for a mid-year financial review helps keep everything running smoothly. Even small tweaks now...
Read the PerspectiveMore From The Park Lake Perspective
Perspectives Worth Exploring
Practical thoughts on financial planning, investing and the money decisions that come with everyday life.
FREE DINNER!!!
Free Dinner Seminar & Complimentary Dinner PresentationSecrets Revealed It appears that it’s that time of the quarter again. If you haven’t received it in...
Read the PerspectivePros and Cons of REITs
In the past several months, I have fielded calls from a few different clients that have heard, and become interested in, investing in Real...
Read the Perspective8 Little Known Ways To Save Money On Vacation
There is something special and relaxing about vacation. People love planning for it, talking about it and dreaming about it. (Interestingly enough, there have...
Read the PerspectiveTraditional vs Roth IRA’s
Perhaps both traditional and Roth IRAs can play a part in your retirement plans. IRAs can be an important tool in your retirement savings...
Read the PerspectiveThe Importance of TOD & JTWROS Designations
A convenient move that could ward off probate on your accounts. TOD, JTWROS – what do these obscure acronyms signify? They are shorthand for...
Read the PerspectiveThe KISS Principle
Keep It Simple Stupid (The KISS Principle to Investing) The KISS Principle is something that I’ve grown up having engrained into my head. If...
Read the PerspectiveInsights & Education
All Perspectives
Explore the complete collection of Park Lake Perspectives covering financial planning, investing and the financial decisions that come with everyday life.
Your Financial Health Checklist: Mid-Year Money Moves
Just like you might check your car before a summer road trip up north or get the lawn mower tuned up, taking some time for a...
Read the PerspectiveThe KISS Principle
Keep It Simple Stupid (The KISS Principle to Investing) The KISS Principle is something that I’ve grown up having engrained into my head. If you haven’t...
Read the PerspectiveCollege Funding Options
You can plan to meet the costs through a variety of methods. How can you cover your child’s future college costs? Saving early (and often) may...
Read the PerspectiveThe Major Retirement Planning Mistakes
Much is out there about the classic financial mistakes that plague start-ups, family businesses, corporations, and charities. Aside from these blunders, some classic financial missteps plague...
Read the PerspectiveYour Changing Definition of Risk in Retirement
Some things to consider. During your accumulation years, you may have categorized your risk as “conservative,” “moderate,” or “aggressive,” and that guided how your portfolio was...
Read the PerspectiveFinancial Strategy for Athletes
Step One: Find a trusted financial coach; Step Two: Listen to your coach. Whether you are a professional athlete, a college amateur, or an aspiring Olympian,...
Read the PerspectiveAn Estate Strategy for Your Digital Assets
Your digital assets should not disappear into a void when you die. When you think about your estate, you may think about your personal property, real...
Read the PerspectiveHouse Buying – A Big Commitment
Buying a house is a big commitment. While one of your first steps (after saving money for the purchase) is to speak with a mortgage professional,...
Read the PerspectiveTaking Charge of Your Financial Life
Delegating responsibilities to others may lead to problems down the road. When you are putting together a household, it isn’t unusual to delegate responsibilities. One spouse...
Read the PerspectiveWhy DIY Investment Management Is Such a Risk
Paying attention to the wrong things becomes all too easy. If you ever have the inkling to manage your investments on your own, that inkling is...
Read the PerspectiveThe Importance of TOD & JTWROS Designations
A convenient move that could ward off probate on your accounts. TOD, JTWROS – what do these obscure acronyms signify? They are shorthand for transfer on...
Read the PerspectivePros and Cons of REITs
In the past several months, I have fielded calls from a few different clients that have heard, and become interested in, investing in Real Estate Investment...
Read the PerspectiveAre You Retiring Within the Next 5 Years?
What should you focus on as the transition approaches? You can prepare for your retirement transition years before it occurs. In doing so, you can do...
Read the PerspectiveMidlife Money Errors
If you are between 40 & 60, beware of these financial blunders & assumptions. Mistakes happen, even for people who have some life experience under their...
Read the PerspectiveTraditional vs Roth IRA’s
Perhaps both traditional and Roth IRAs can play a part in your retirement plans. IRAs can be an important tool in your retirement savings belt, and...
Read the PerspectiveYour Emergency Fund: How Much is Enough?
An emergency fund may help alleviate the stress associated with a financial crisis. Have you ever had one of those months? The water heater stops heating,...
Read the PerspectiveCertain Uncertainties in Retirement
Two financial unknowns may erode our degree of confidence. The financial uncertainties we face in retirement may risk reducing our sense of confidence, potentially undermining our outlook...
Read the PerspectiveStrategic vs. Tactical Investing
How do these investment approaches differ? Ever heard the term “strategic investing”? How about “tactical investing”? At a glance, you might assume that both these phrases...
Read the PerspectiveBad Money Habits to Break
Behaviors worth changing. Do bad money habits constrain your financial progress? Many people fall into the same financial behavior patterns, year after year. If you sometimes...
Read the PerspectiveFive Lessons Football Teaches Us About Finances
Football season is (finally) here. For those of us that love the game, it’s one of the best times of the year. For those that love...
Read the PerspectiveWe All Scream For Ice Cream!
We’re in the birthday season in my house. While it would be wonderful if this was limited to one party for my (almost) 8-year old son,...
Read the PerspectiveTen Free Tips To Financial Freedom
I sometimes get asked to dispense with some free financial advice. Frankly, there are times when it doesn’t make sense for someone to pay a financial...
Read the PerspectiveTen Steps To Paying Off Your Debt
Getting into debt can seem like a very easy thing to do. Outside of home or car loans, it’s not something that usually happens overnight. It...
Read the PerspectiveFiduci-what? Who Are Fiduciaries? Plus Five Basic Principles of Fiduciary Duty
This post isn’t directed as something that the average person is probably interested in. It is truly intended for business owners and fiduciaries of retirement plans....
Read the Perspective8 Little Known Ways To Save Money On Vacation
There is something special and relaxing about vacation. People love planning for it, talking about it and dreaming about it. (Interestingly enough, there have been studies...
Read the PerspectiveMadness in March
It’s that time of year again – MARCH MADNESS! Those who know me well, know that I absolutely love this time of year. The culmination...
Read the PerspectiveLa Mort Et Les Impots
Benjamin Franklin once wrote: “Notre constitution nouvelle est actuellement établie, tout paraît nous prome promettre qu’elle sera durable; mais, dans ce monde, il n’y a rien d’assure...
Read the PerspectiveFREE DINNER!!!
Free Dinner Seminar & Complimentary Dinner PresentationSecrets Revealed It appears that it’s that time of the quarter again. If you haven’t received it in the mail...
Read the PerspectiveFrom the Archives
Historical Perspectives
Financial rules, markets and economic conditions change over time. These articles are preserved as part of the Park Lake Perspective archive and reflect the circumstances and information available when they were originally written.
Inflation Signals
If you’re having trouble wrapping your head around inflation, you aren’t alone. Many economists are perplexed by the trends these days because it seems like, only...
Read the PerspectiveManaging Drug Costs
How can households meet the challenge? Are prescription drug costs burdening your finances? Some people find it a challenge to manage the cost of prescription drugs....
Read the PerspectiveThe SECURE Act
Long-established retirement account rules change. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act is now law. With it, comes some of the biggest changes...
Read the PerspectiveThe A, B, C & D of Medicare
Breaking down the basics & what each part covers. Whether your 65th birthday is on the horizon or decades away, you should understand the parts of...
Read the Perspective3,453 Day Bull Run
On Wednesday, the bull market turned 3,453 days old. By most definitions, that is the longest bull run on record. Since the financial crisis bottomed on...
Read the Perspective“How To Become A 401(k) Millionaire” Rebuttal
I read an article the other day entitled “How to Become a 401(k) Millionaire“. The premise of the article (if you don’t want to take the...
Read the PerspectiveMarket Chaos and Your Portfolio
Holy Volatility! It has definitely been a rocky week since our last blog post. Since that time, we’ve seen: Friday – 02/02/2018 – DJIA Plunged 666 points...
Read the PerspectiveHistorical Perspectives are provided for educational and archival purposes. Information, laws, limits and market conditions referenced in these articles may have changed since publication.
Five-Minute Finance
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Five-Minute Finance takes many of the same financial topics and breaks them down into short, straightforward videos designed to help make financial concepts easier to understand.
- Short videos built for busy schedules
- Financial planning, investing and personal finance topics
- Clear explanations without unnecessary jargon
Ready When You Are
Have Questions About Your Financial Life?
Reading and watching can help you better understand your options. When you’re ready to talk about how those decisions fit into your own financial life, Park Lake Advisors is here to help.