Pete the Planner: A case study: how much you’ll need for retirement
There are three distinct reasons you specifically should aim for at least a $400,000 nest egg.
Peter Dunn
Articles
Peter Dunn: Should you sell your current home or rent it out?
Whether it was one of the major mechanicals going out, a frozen pipe, or simply a renter getting behind on rent, my brain could no longer handle the drama.
Pete the Planner: It’s time for you to take care of business
The truth is, we all have elements of our life where we either excel or struggle to stay as disciplined as we like.
Pete the Planner: Investing is one piece of financial planning puzzle
Financial planning isn’t as flashy as talking about the latest market trend or stock pick, but it’s crucial to living a financially sound life.
Pete the Planner: Should you refinance your car loan? Probably not.
Car loans aren’t like those big, long mortgages where you save tens of thousands by shaving off a percentage point or two.
Pete the Planner: Parents, your child’s money troubles aren’t your fault
It’s like watching someone walk a tightrope and realizing halfway across that they’ve never practiced before—and now they’re teetering on the edge.
Pete the Planner: Here’s why net worth isn’t part of casual conversation
Talking about net worth also brings a harsh reality check.
Pete the planner: I need a hobby to distract me from work
I’ve never needed a hobby so badly in my life. It’s not that I have tons of free time that needs to be filled; instead, I need something to divert my brain’s attention when I’m not at work or spending quality time with my family. Left unaddressed, my brain triggers into fits of work spasms […]
Pete the Planner: The wealth you can share is more than just money
Said in a different way, what if you returned leftover resources to the community pool?
Pete the Planner: Why your personal finances are not really that personal
A stakeholder is any person or entity that has an interest or concern in the direction of an enterprise.
Pete the Planner: Know your black boxes and blank checks
But you do have the ability to know a lot more things about your financial life than you are currently attempting to know.
Peter Dunn: Later in life, you can still make that dream come true
What’s the monthly financial gap between your current life and the life you are aspiring to? This allows you to park the scary thoughts to the side and instead make decisions based on real numbers.
Pete the Planner: How to help dad overcome inappropriate investments
Dear Pete, I’ve started to look through some of my elderly father’s investments, and I’m finding myself in shock over some of the products he has been sold. Between high investment management fees, long surrender periods on annuities and inappropriate levels of risk, my head is spinning. What do I do? Do I file a […]
Pete the Planner: Making the most of data helps avoid financial shock
Given the many inconveniences in our personal finances, it’s surprising there’s not more focus on how we respond to negative outcomes.
Peter Dunn: Your financial adviser is changing firms. What now?
I think sometimes people forget that business relationships are still relationships.
Pete the Planner: I’m ready to get off the hamster wheel
Even though I have set money aside along the way, my lifestyle, like that of many Americans in that same stage, continued to ratchet up.
Pete the Planner: Understand your sequence of returns risk before retirement
And whether you care to acknowledge this or not, the order in which the ups and downs occur hasn’t previously mattered to you because you’ve been in the accumulation phase of your investing experience.
Pete the Planner: Here’s what you need to know about executing an estate
As an executor, adeptness in managing administrative tasks—from inventorying assets to paying debts and filing taxes—is paramount.
Pete the Planner: Job satisfaction is so much more than a good salary
The allure of a hefty paycheck can be intoxicating. It’s easy to believe that more money equates to greater success or happiness. But the truth is, our perception of our own salary often shifts dramatically when compared with someone else’s.
Pete the Planner: Market will get its footing this election year
Despite the nail-biting moments and hair-raising fluctuations, history has shown us that the stock market has a remarkable ability to weather the storm.