Blog

Following a recent episode of The Van Wie Financial Hour, a listener hit the nail squarely on the head with his observation that learning about retirement only when it is staring you in the face is not only dysfunctional but can also be discouraging. We wholeheartedly agree. Imagine being within a short number of months […]

What a difference a degree or two can make, as we all learned this past week from Hurricane Milton. This strange disturbance deep in the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico did the unthinkable, moving eastward and multiplying its force. I can’t remember a pattern like that, and if I never see it again, I’ll be better […]

Florida’s First Coast dodged a bullet last week, when Hurricane Helene roared through several states for hundreds of miles, wreaking untold devastation on areas largely unprepared to handle this form of dangerous weather. As the death toll passes 200, and the missing toll remains in the hundreds, we look around our immediate area and breathe […]

“Silly Season” is in full swing in Washington, D.C. This is the period immediately preceding a Presidential Election, a period during which excessive promises are made to voters on both sides. Mostly, promises are for tax cuts for the Middle Class (and sometimes for others). Sprinkle in some tax increases for people who aren’t you […]

Only five months have passed since our past April 15th tax day, and most people are not thinking about year-end tax and financial planning just yet. In a “normal” year, that is an oversight, but in a Presidential election year, it could represent a financial error. In this particular election year, it could constitute an […]

A few years ago, we (personally) found ourselves approaching Medicare age, with a combination of trepidation and relief. To be fair, in terms of medical insurance, we have had an overall positive experience with Medicare. Originally, Medicare excluded coverage for prescription medicines. This changed under President George W. Bush, when Medicare Part “D” (Prescription Drug […]

Americans are notoriously generous, both with their money and their time. Our government recognizes two basic forms of gifts: gifts to Qualified Charities and gifts to individuals. The former may provide some tax incentives, but care must be taken to ensure compliance with the Tax Code. IRS publishes a list of Qualified Charities in Publication […]

Florida is halfway through another Hurricane Season (officially defined as June 1 through November 30), but is right now just entering the peak of seasonality. Recent years have produced some horrible storms, causing several huge financial losses (those over $1 Billion each). While zealots cite this statistic to enhance their climate change arguments, the truth […]

Inflation today, while easing, remains ubiquitous and presents a rare point of agreement throughout the country. What to do about it, however, is a divisive topic, and this past week, we were treated to one of the worst proposals in economic discourse — price controls to curtail inflation. Throughout documented history, pharaohs, kings, dictators, and […]