By Kyle Berg, CFP®, BFA™

Between the seemingly daily headlines announcing changes to Medicare and the alphabet soup of supplemental care insurance, we at Affiance Financial feel it is important for you to know what to expect with open-enrollment season upon us.

We often joke about “all the letters” following many of our advisors’ names. But each designation represents time and effort spent honing their craft. The latest letters you may have noticed are BFA™, representing certification in Behavioral Financial Advice.

By Kyle Berg, CFP®

With the world of financial technology (FinTech) ever changing, the landscape for how someone keeps a budget has never been more robust. In fact, some say it can be done in the palm of your hand... While some choose to stick with the traditional, manual method of tracking income and expenses — Yes, I’m talking about you, Excel — the vast number of mobile apps available make budgeting more accessible and automated than ever.

The year is half over and despite the stock market’s ups and downs, the total performance for the year is neither too good nor too bad. As of June 30th, U.S. markets were up, with the S&P 500 up 2.65% year to date. International stocks gave up some of last year’s gains, dropping roughly 5% year to date. And emerging markets, which had a stellar 2017 (being up 37%), gave back about 8% this year, primarily due to an appreciating dollar.

Over the years, Affiance Financial has worked hard to enhance our efficiency. But try as we might, we just can't seem to avoid the game of phone and email tag that occurs when trying to schedule a meeting. You are busy people. Finding room for us on your calendar isn't always easy. We get it. And we want to help.

Ah, the joys of summer. Bike rides. Ball games. Ice cream. College interns. Each year, we wait impatiently for spring semester to end so that we can bring in some fresh faces to liven the place up (and lighten our workloads).

Affiance Financial has long partnered with BestPrep, an organization that helps students build business, career, and financial literacy skills. Years ago, Principals Steve Lear and Andy Fishman helped start the organization’s Financial Matters program, which teaches high school students financial literacy skills.

We’re back to share some new staff favorites with you. This time, we asked what our team is listening to. Not music, but podcasts and audiobooks! Find something new for your morning jog or afternoon commute from our recommendations below.

Thank you to everyone who came to the event, we’re grateful for having such engaged and interested clients. As always, we value any feedback you might have, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to your advisor with any questions.