Blog
Martin Movie - A NIGHT IN MIAMI
A little later than usual this year, but it is time to talk about the Academy Awards. The Oscars will be given out on April 25th this year, which is a full two months later than usual to give more films the chance for a qualifying...
Read MoreMartin Movie - THE ROCK
In what has now become a monthly tradition when lacking inspiration for which particular film to choose in a given month, I asked the weekly poker game what they would like me to write about. It was pointed out to me that The Rock...
Read MoreMartin Movie - YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
I get a little fastidious when it comes to many things (seriously, watch me reheat shredded pork tacos sometime if you want to test that statement). One of the top areas where I am very picky about certain distinctions is when someone...
Read MoreMartin Movie - THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES
I am a big fan of irony. Any time I can find true examples of it in the world, I try to celebrate it. I am not talking about the various ridiculous (and, for the record, not ironic) examples in the Alanis Morrisette song. I am talking...
Read MoreMartin Movie - DIE HARD
I have been hosting a regular poker game for the past 15 years. Many of the players in that game have been coming for most of those years. During quarantine, we had to stop the live games, but we have picked up the game in an online...
Read MoreShow All
Martin Movie - LA STORY
My growing base of readers for this monthly column (initially my wife and my sister and now includes my mother as well – 50% increase in readership!) has informed me (mostly telepathically) that they do not want this to be a...
Read MoreYou Are (Still) the Weakest Link
Online villains (bad actors) target passwords more so than any other means by which to maliciously gain access and information. Did you know that the average person today uses 191 online services and accounts that require login...
Read MoreMartin Movie - LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
Last week my father turned 90 years old. As I thought about what to write about this month, I was thinking about my dad. Should I pick his favorite movie? No, because I have not been able to sit through Gunga Din. Should I pick Grumpy...
Read MoreMartin Movie - PANIC ROOM
A genre that I have completely avoided thus far has been horror. It feels like we read about enough horror in the world on a daily basis that choosing a film from that genre might cut my readership down to 3 (from its undoubtedly...
Read MoreMartin Movie - ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST
All right. Enough. I have been messing around with fun movies that I love or sports movies that I like or underrated movies you should check out. It’s time to focus on great – pantheon great – films that I believe...
Read MoreMartin Movie - BREAKDOWN
Throughout the quarantine, I have been playing a regular online poker game once a week. I like to throw a mindless action movie on in the background as I play. It got me thinking about mindFUL action movies that are out there....
Read MoreMartin Movie - SNEAKERS
Maybe it is because I just watched the delightfully silly Celebrity Escape Room last night. Or maybe it is because one of the sub-themes of the movie is to use technology to bring down nations, which seems to be on my mind these days....
Read MoreMartin Movie - MAJOR LEAGUE
At the suggestion of my friends Mike (the biggest K-State sports fan I know) and Dan (whose birthday is today), I decided to focus on the world of sports on film this month. I am definitely missing sports right now and will forever be...
Read MoreMartin Movie - ROBIN HOOD
In reality, it has only been a month since my last posting – though I am sure we can all agree it has felt like a whole lot more than that. After discussing whether or not we should even post one this month, we decided that...
Read MoreManaging A Job Layoff
If COVID-19, or any other cause, has resulted in your unemployment, our colleagues at MFS have a concise outline of some things you can do to improve the situation. Click here to read.
Read MoreMartin Movie: ONCE
After reviewing Jojo Rabbit last month – which is one of those films that may not be for everyone but I found brilliant – it seemed fitting to pivot to a film that I feel has universal appeal for the month of March. To...
Read MoreCoronavirus: A Dose of Uncertainty and Risk
The Coronavirus has brought about feelings of fear, uncertainty, and empathy from around the world. What are the impacts to financial markets and your portfolio? To an extent, risk can be assessed, measured, and managed. Uncertainty is...
Read MoreThe Economy vs. the Stock Market
Investors are often bombarded with economic data, company news, market information, and news headlines. Not only can this be overwhelming, but it can lead to confusion. The best analogy I’ve heard on this subject comes from...
Read MoreMartin Movie: JOJO
With the Academy Awards right around the corner (tune in Sunday, February 9th), it seems fitting to make the first Martin Movie Monday review center around my favorite film for this year. In a year with several very good movies, my...
Read MoreDoing the math to prioritize your retirement list
A significant percentage of Fit-To-Retire clients come into our office with a bucket list a mile-and-a-half long and no idea what to do with it. We call these folks “High Enthusiasm/Low Preparation” clients. And, we love...
Read MoreMonetary Policy vs. Fiscal Policy
As we head into election season, these terms will pop up. But what do they mean for the economy and for you? The aim of monetary policy is to manage inflation and economic growth using interest rates and other tools to influence the...
Read MoreIntroducing Martin Movie Monday
WARNING – This post has nothing to do with financial planning, money, or economics. This is the first post in what I plan to make into a monthly series. Outside the office, one of my primary interests is movies. Being a...
Read MoreGive yourself the gift of a well-planned retirement
Call us greedy, but we’ve never thought Santa’s list should be limited to the kids. After all, children have such short attention spans. They may spend an hour on Christmas morning fawning over new toy cars, dolls and...
Read MoreGross Domestic Product (GDP), Simplified
Economic progress is typically measured by GDP growth. Here, we break it down into basic components that are easier to understand. GDP is the value of all final goods and services produced by a country’s economy. Investors...
Read MoreHow to Help When a Loved One Dies
“ The price of love is loss, but still we pay. We love anyway.” That quote from the musical Next to Normal illustrates the unfortunate side of having close relationships with our clients. We grieve with them when they lose...
Read MoreHow to Give a Financial Gift to a Loved One With Special Needs
What do I need to know before giving a financial gift to my loved one with special needs? The end of the year is approaching and the holidays are about to be in full swing. With that comes a time of gift-giving for family members....
Read MoreHow to make gratitude last into retirement
As you take stock of your bountiful blessings this year, pay special attention to the categories into which those blessings fall: Good health and nutrition (gravy, mashed potatoes and pie notwithstanding), relationships with family...
Read MoreAvoid Phish This Holiday Shopping Season
As the holiday season approaches, it is timely to remind ourselves of the vulnerabilities that await us online should we fail to exercise diligence and vigilance while making merry online. The reality is, the end user (that's you and...
Read MoreInteresting times, indeed.
There is an old Chinese saying, “May you live in interesting times.” We have low interest rates, low commodity prices, low unemployment, and low inflation, all of which are generally helpful inputs for economic growth....
Read MoreHow much will health care cost in retirement?
During a recent panel discussion with Fit-to-Retire contributing authors, we discussed ways to motivate clients who score HIGH Preparedness / LOW Enthusiasm on their assessment in the Health & Nutrition category. A popular...
Read MoreNational Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Each and every one of us needs to do our part to make sure that our online lives are kept safe and secure. That's what National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) – observed in October – is all about! Each October...
Read MoreHarnessing the power of technology in retirement
If you’re retiring from a career spent hunched in front of a glowing computer screen, it’s likely the last thing you’ll want to do is keep up with ever-changing technology. While we can all recognize the importance...
Read MoreRecession Data and Yield Curve - 5 Bullets
While recent market movements have been well-publicized, a few things that aren’t making the main headlines: Historically, just because the 2y - 10y treasury yields invert does not necessarily signal a recession unless the...
Read MoreGrowth vs. Value
If you look at your portfolio, you notice both growth and value stock investments. What’s the difference? Growth stocks are just that-stocks that are believed to have meaningful potential still to be realized. This could be due...
Read More“Finding yourself” beyond retirement
For baby boomers, “finding yourself” was something we did in the ’60’s. By the time we reach our 60’s, we assume the question, “Who am I, man?” has been answered. But, it’s likely the...
Read MoreMythbuster: taxes brackets and politics
Just kidding. In no realm of the imagination would I write something on politics, something I am not educated on. However, we hear politicians talk all the time about raising or lowering taxes. Unfortunately, many Americans, including...
Read MoreTime: The Most Precious Commodity
What if you stopped thinking about how you’re going to spend your money in retirement and started thinking about how you’re going to spend your time? It’s a simple but essential paradigm shift that puts retirement...
Read More30 Years Ago Today ...
It was a different kind of Independence Day! 30 years ago today, Glenda and I moved into the empty offices that would become Prosperity Advisory Group. The two of us became CEO and Chief Operating Officer from the very start, Captains...
Read MoreWhy do you want to see my tax return?
Why do you want a copy of my tax return? We get this question sometimes from existing and potential clients. It puzzles me. Why wouldn’t you want your financial planner to get a copy of your tax returns, the main financial...
Read MoreCFP Board Research Shows ...
CFP Board Research Shows Almost One-Third of Americans Aren’t Aware of their Employer Retirement Plan Options. According to a recent study conducted by the Certified Financial Planner Board, almost 3 out of 10 Americans do not...
Read MoreDave Martin earns his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation
We are happy to announce that Dave Martin has earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) designation. Earning the CFP® designation signifies that an advisor has mastered a comprehensive and rigorous curriculum...
Read MoreFT400 Top Financial Adviser Recognition for 5th Consecutive Year
We are proud to announce that Paul Ewing has been named as a Financial Times Top 400 Adviser for the fifth consecutive year. This elite award is based on assets under management, growth, years of experience, compliance record,...
Read MorePaul Ewing and Angela Brill Deliver Financial Advice on Capitol Hill
On April 10 and 11, Paul Ewing and Angela Brill were among a select group of advisors who provided financial planning advice and education to congressional staff on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. Paul and Angela are advisory council...
Read More