As we close out the third quarter of the year, it's a natural time to pause and take stock of your progress toward your financial goals. By this point in the year, nine months of progress, challenges, and decisions have shaped where you stand today. With three months ahead, there's time to fine-tune your approach, close gaps, and position yourself to finish the year strong.
As we approach the year's final quarter, it’s the perfect time for a retirement plan check-up. Even if you set your 401(k) contributions months ago, life has a way of shifting the numbers — salary increases, bonuses, or payroll changes can all affect how much you are actually putting away.
As we embark on a new year, there's no better time to take control of your financial future by thoroughly reviewing your cash flow. If having a vision and establishing goals is the touchstone for a financial plan, this essential financial practice sets the foundation for achieving your goals and ensuring long-term financial stability.
Anyone who has gone through a divorce knows how emotionally challenging and financially complex it can be. While attorneys handle the legal aspects, a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® focuses specifically on the financial implications of divorce. This specialized designation equips professionals with the expertise to guide clients through the intricate financial aspects of divorce proceedings, ensuring better outcomes for their financial future.
Anna Marie Mock, a fee-only certified financial planner at Highland Financial Advisors, discusses the dynamic interplay between art and science in financial planning. Drawing inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci's philosophy that "everything connects to everything else," she emphasizes that financial planning is an art involving subjective goal-setting and a science-driven by objective analysis tools. In this video, Anna explains how the scientific method can be applied to financial planning, using equity compensation as a concrete example.
In July, I had the opportunity to participate in an NJBIZ panel discussion focused on family-owned businesses. During the discussion, I shared an analogy that has become one of the simplest ways I explain how I think about planning because I believe it applies well beyond business owners.
Every two years, America holds another election. Every two years, headlines call it the most important of our lifetime. Investors have heard that before. Markets have lived through wars, recessions, inflation, and constant turnover in Washington. Over long periods, stock prices track earnings, innovation, productivity, and human ingenuity — not election results.
Twenty years ago, "Breaking News" meant something extraordinary had happened. Today, it means someone sneezed near a microphone. Every hour brings another flashing banner. Markets tumble. Experts speculate. Social media erupts. Before lunch, a new "breaking" story replaces the first one.
I'm heading to Portugal this summer, and like any good trip, the itinerary has a little bit of everything: a few days wandering through Lisbon's hills, a stretch on the Algarve coast, even a detour into the quaint fishing village of Cascais. No single stop makes the trip. The magic is in the mix. Investing works the same way, yet most people plan their portfolios like a one-city vacation—all in on the destination that's trending, and hoping it delivers.
Summer has a way of encouraging reflection. The pace changes, families gather, vacations appear on the calendar, and many of us pause long enough to appreciate the people and experiences that make the year meaningful. At HIGHLAND Financial Advisors, summer also gives us an opportunity to celebrate something central to our firm: the strength of our team.
Growing up, I always had a natural tendency to save money. Every birthday and Christmas gift went into my piggy bank and, as I got older, into a savings account. When I turned 18, my dad introduced me to investing, and I was instantly hooked. I started reading every investment book I could get my hands on, and any money I earned from part-time jobs during college went straight into my investment account.
Most of my clients do not think much about currency markets. They think about their retirement, their kids' college, their business, and their taxes. Currency movements feel like something that happens in the background — abstract, global, vaguely relevant. And then a headline pops up warning about a "collapsing dollar" or a "surging greenback," and suddenly everyone wants to know what it means.
For many parents, figuring out how to save for college can feel overwhelming because the target keeps moving. College tuition continues to rise, financial aid rules seem to change yearly, and families are often unsure whether to prioritize retirement, college savings, or both. Add in student loans, FAFSA deadlines, scholarships, and decisions around how much to contribute, and it’s easy to feel stuck.
Every spring, we throw open the windows, drag out the mop, and tackle the clutter that's been quietly piling up since January. But while you're scrubbing baseboards and donating old sweaters, your finances might be sitting in the corner: dusty, disorganized, and in need of attention.
So, where do you begin?
Why where you own the future may matter as much as what you own
Financial planning helps you develop a better decision architecture to improve your life. If asked what financial planning is, you may think of cash flow planning, retirement planning, insurance, and estate planning. Financial planning also involves the design and management of your investment portfolio — the tool most likely to help you achieve your goals. Because financial planning is all about building a better future for yourself, your investment portfolio should be structured with an eye toward the future.
