Does Volatility in the Market Benefit You?

Financial design studio Chicago

Does Volatility in the Market Benefit You? After a year of low volatility and great market growth in 2017, what should we expect in 2018?  If you look at the following chart you will notice that years of low volatility do not usually repeat.  I don’t see any years below where the line is perfectly…

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[Video] Rent Or Buy

Financial Design Studio Rent Buy Video

Studio Chat: Renting vs. Financing a Home Purchase STEPHEN SMALENBERGER, EA & MICHELLE SMALENBERGER, CFP® One question we get a lot is Do you rent or do you buy?  We’ve done both; rented and now own a home.  There’s such a simplicity in renting!  You know what your fixed costs are each month with no…

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[Video] Spending Money

FDS Spending Money Header

Studio Chat: Advisor’s Take On Spending Money STEPHEN SMALENBERGER, EA & MICHELLE SMALENBERGER, CFP® Spending can be a really hard area especially when you’re taking two lives and making them one.  Something we found helpful was using a software, tracking it, and viewing it periodically. This was helpful because there are going to be times…

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[Video] College Savings

Studio Chat: Advisor’s Take On College Savings STEPHEN SMALENBERGER, EA & MICHELLE SMALENBERGER, CFP® One of the areas you want to discuss once you have children is whether to save or fund your children’s college education.  Do you want to fund all of it, some of it, none of it? In planning for the day…

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