Blog Posts and Commentary
Plain-English thinking on investing, college savings, and family finances from Kevin Shuller, CFA, CFP® — a fee-only fiduciary advisor in Denver.
The worst chart every financial advisor will show you
Most financial advisors mean well. They try to show you graphics that tell the story they want you to hear. There's a big problem.
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The Scott Rolen Effect: Your key to investing greatness
When I was 25, I promised a total stranger, whom I never saw again, that I would run a marathon.
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Investing isn't gambling. Gambling isn't investing
Investing isn't gambling if you do it right. “I just put $50 into an index fund” has a very different ring to it than “I just bet $50 on a Nuggets-Avalanche-Reds parlay.”
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Your feelings are a terrible financial advisor
There is (and always has been) a huge gap between how the economy is doing and how Americans think the economy is doing.
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Grandparent 529: How a FAFSA change makes it more appealing
When rules change, new opportunities are born. Nowhere is this more true than in personal finance.
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The problem with index funds and how to beat them with other index funds
You can beat index funds with index funds. Market cap weighting has an inherent flaw — explained with a healthy dose of 90s music references.
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Another option for unused 529 funds
Starting in 2024, people can transfer unused 529 funds directly into a Roth IRA. Here are the details — Simpsons example included.
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5 Intermediate Tips to avoid bank fraud
A few tips a little more advanced than the ones your Grandma will read to you from the page she tore out of Reader's Digest.
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Free money for college! (maybe)
I love free money. It's one of my favorite kinds of money. Colorado will match up to $5,000 of your child's college savings.
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Alphabet Soup: Which letters after your advisor's name are meaningful?
Should you trust Dirk McSalesman, BCA, RF, ESPN, BPC with your life savings? Let's break advisor credentials into three tiers.
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What not everybody knows about Student Loan Forgiveness
The next-level details of the student debt relief plan that escape the big picture primers: income limits, taxes, and deadlines.
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Are 529s about to get more flexible?
Clients always ask “What if my child doesn't go to college?” Proposed legislation would add an excellent option for unused 529 funds.
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Buy the Turmoil
When the financial news channel is programming around the chaos, it's a good sign that there is chaos — and a great contrary indicator.
Read the post →Don't sabotage your portfolio by panic selling
31% of investors who panic sell never buy again. New MIT research shows how dangerous panic selling is — and what to do about it.
Read the post →529s aren't just for kids
These wonderful accounts have uses other than sending your kids to college — from going back to school yourself to planning your legacy.
Read the post →2021 isn't over yet
Technically 2021 is over, but there are still things you can do for 2021 that can benefit you in 2022 and beyond.
Read the post →Take the first step
The intro call isn’t a sales pitch. We’ll talk about where you are, what’s keeping you up at night, and whether working together makes sense. If it doesn’t, I’ll tell you.
Talk to Kevin — 30 minutes, zero pressure