Recent Articles from Michael Hood
Seven essential financial questions: No. 7
People often think of estate planning as having a will and owning life insurance. Both of these are important items to consider, but there is much more to this topic. The essence of estate planning is making decisions today about what you want to have happen to you, your family and your assets when you […]
Seven essential financial questions: No. 6
It’s easy to put off answering this question. In our twenties, retirement seems so distant that saving for it is not a priority. In our thirties, we are caught up with our careers and family such that retirement planning gets overlooked. It’s usually not until our forties that we begin to realize that we will […]
Seven essential financial questions: No. 5
There is no more controversial financial planning topic than the use of debt. I recommend the reasonable use of debt for buying a home; beyond that I recommend avoiding debt whenever possible. The main drawback to debt is the disastrous impact it can have on the lives of families who have too much of it. […]
Seven essential financial questions: No. 4
(Editor’s note: This is the fourth of a seven-part series.) I have created a basic financial planning process using Seven Essential Questions as the foundation. Why only seven? The answer is simple. I have conducted thousands of planning meetings over the past 20 years and have discovered that while most people know they should have a financial […]
Seven essential financial questions: No. 3
(Editor’s note: This is the third of a seven-part series.) I have created a basic financial planning process using Seven Essential Questions as the foundation. Why only seven? The answer is simple. I have conducted thousands of planning meetings over the past twenty years and have discovered that while most people know they should have […]
Seven essential financial questions: No. 2
Are you in control of your spending? If you are like most people, you know how difficult that can be. As financial planner Mike Smith says, “Controlling your spending is hard because today wants all of your money and it rarely leaves any left over for tomorrow.” Given the relative ease with which...