Don’t Buy a Home for Financial Reasons: Your Home is Not an Investment 
Investing, Basics Ben Hockema Investing, Basics Ben Hockema

Don’t Buy a Home for Financial Reasons: Your Home is Not an Investment 

The “American Dream” is different for each of us, but there is one common thread. It has been drilled into our heads for decades that a part of the “American Dream” is to own your own home. Add in HGTV home remodel shows, Youtube videos about making money in Real Estate and historically low interest rates (driving up home prices while keeping mortgage payments down), and you have a recipe for irrational excitement around home ownership.

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Give More To Your Heirs, Not the Government
Estate Planning Ben Hockema Estate Planning Ben Hockema

Give More To Your Heirs, Not the Government

Since 1997, the estate tax exemption has been increasing with the tax rates dropping. This means that estate tax planning has not been a factor for many people. Looking ahead, there are a few things to look out for, and, depending on your current and projected estate size, you may want to begin taking steps here in 2020.

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Making a Game out of Budgeting
Basics Ben Hockema Basics Ben Hockema

Making a Game out of Budgeting

I have former clients who could never get their spending under control and spent every dollar they earned, even though they were making close to $500k per year. At the same time, I have a few clients that have never made anything close to 6-figure salaries and yet have retired when they wanted to, living a better lifestyle now than when they were earning a paycheck! So what’s the secret? It’s all about Savings Rates, not income.

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