Affiance Financial is pleased to share the following article by Steven E. Warren, CPA, MBT. Mr. Warren practices accounting and consulting at Schechter Dokken Kanter, a Minneapolis CPA and consulting firm. Mr. Warren can be contacted at swarren@sdkcpa.com or 612-332-9391.

Event recording from January 28, 2019.

By Seth Meisler, CFA, CPA/PFS, CFP®, BFA™ and Marc Usem

This Is What Volatility Feels Like

The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next. — Ursula K. Le Guin

By Kyle Berg, CFP®, BFA™

It’s another new year, and this time you are ready. You have taken the time to create a budget and give each dollar a job. You might even be using an app to track your spending. This is going to be your most financially organized year yet! When all of a sudden, something happens. Something we call the certainty of uncertainty.

By Kyle Berg, CFP®, BFA™

At Affiance Financial, it is one of our core values to stay curious. Part of that includes staying up to date on the current — and always changing — laws that affect financial planning.

By Kyle Berg, CFP®, BFA™

There is a rumbling amongst the younger segment of the population. Most notably, the Millennials, who are in the process of trying to turn the traditional idea of retirement on its head.

By Dan Lear, CFP®, BFA™

With help from think2perform.

As part of our recent BFA™ training, the advisors at Affiance Financial teamed up with think2perform to help increase the ways that we can help you, our valued clients. One key concept that think2perform teaches advisors is the Smart Money Philosophy.

We believe the stock market’s 10% decline from the September 20th high is due to a confluence of three major fears for investors. First is the fear of rising interest rates and the Federal Reserve Bank’s monetary policy. Second is the fear of slower corporate earnings growth. Third is the fear of trade wars, especially with China. We believe that recent stock market weakness reflects temporary risks and is NOT a precursor to deeper economic problems.

By Kyle Berg, CFP®, BFA™

When we sit down with new clients, one of the first questions we usually ask is “Do you have a budget?” This single question can lead down many different paths to help us better understand your thought process when dealing with money. Hearing about your budget also offers a surprising amount of insight into your values, priorities, and goals.

October. This is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate in stocks. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August, and February. — Mark Twain