I am always looking for new ways to explain financial concepts. Earlier this week, a client used the phrase “avoiding the shell game”. This analogy is a great description of how most people handle their day-to-day cash flow. They get paid, pay some bills, buy some groceries, and maybe even put some money away for a rainy day. By the end of the pay period, they find themselves pulling money out of savings to make it through. When the car needs a repair or the furnace goes out,

So you've decided to get serious about your finances and are considering hiring a professional adviser to help you out. Here are 5 things to consider as you evaluate your options. 1. Experience Believe me, I cringe when I think about some of the mistakes I made in my early years in this industry. You definitely don’t want to be the guinea pig for an inexperienced new adviser. Ultimately, you want to work with someone who has at least 5 years of experience. Ten years would