Is Now a Good Time to Get into the Stock Market?

That is a question we often hear from prospective clients. The answer is, yes — and no. There is always uncertainty, and the markets could plummet tomorrow. Even though we follow markets closely and read endlessly, we can’t predict the future. So, let’s look at the market right now. There are lots of reasons we […]

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Improve Your Financial Health

Blood bath. Frenzy. Sell off. Spooked investors. Wild session. Stocks plunge. Crazy market swings. These are just a few of the sensational phrases the financial media use to describe stock market activity. These phrases are designed to evoke emotions like excitement, anxiety, and even downright panic, and the intention in using phrases like this is to compel the audience to take an action. Whatever action you are urged to take […]

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Fight Climate Change at Home, at Work, and With Your Money

We invite you to join us for the first in our new series on climate and sustainability issues.   Our inaugural guest will be Climate Center CEO Ellie Cohen. She will be joined in conversation by Willow Creek Advisor Rawson Gulick. Together, they will explore the science behind greenhouse gas emissions and the changes, both […]

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Getting to ‘Emotional Neutrality’ on Investing

One of the first topics a good financial advisor always discusses with new clients is their financial and emotional tolerance for risk. Just as we need to know their financial capacity to take risks with their money, it is as important that we understand our clients’ emotional comfort level with investing. Do they recognize what role emotions play in their financial life? Are their decisions swayed by fear, greed, confidence, or regret?   […]

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Is This a Good Time for a Roth Conversion?

2020 has been a challenging year, but it has also provided some unique tax and retirement planning opportunities. Depending on your financial situation, one possibility might be to convert some or all of your Traditional IRA to its cousin – the Roth IRA. The differences between a Traditional IRA and a Roth IRA  The IRA […]

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Sustainable Investing – Does it Really Make a Difference?

As the world of sustainable investing opens up – as more investment options become available, as more investors become aware of its promise and money flows in – one has to ask the question: does my investment dollar really help to make a difference? Does Sustainable Investing really help bring about change and lead (or force, in some cases) companies to […]

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Investing to Create the World You Want to See

Are you looking for a stronger, more purpose-driven connection with your investments? In today’s climate, everyone is looking to contribute to the solutions needed to make our society work better for more people and the planet. In the past, we relied on public policy or philanthropy to enact these solutions. These are still useful tools, but […]

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Biases During Market Volatility

Research scientists sometimes refer to the brain’s thought process as having two “systems,” as famously theorized in Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman’s book “Thinking, Fast and Slow.” Both modes of thinking are essential and important in their own right, but they operate quite differently. System 1 is fast, instinctual, and emotional, helping us to make everyday […]

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Separating Market Volatility from the Healthcare Crisis

The stock markets have been a rough ride this year. Once again, pundits and people on the street have wondered if it is “different” this time. In reality, everyone is right. Each of us experiences a crisis from a uniquely personal perspective. But, in terms of your investments or retirement account, it helps to remember […]

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