Our Perspective

A Pie Chart is Not a Plan
With 35 plus years of experience at Northwestern Mutual, Kevin Willoughby has had many client interactions that are memorable but one in particular will always stand out - a conversation with a client that had shown Kevin a recent investment statement that included a pie chart. She pointed to the chart and said, "I am all taken care of, it’s right here". That is when Kevin realized what was happening - she was interpreting a pie chart as a plan. Read Kevin's full story here.

New Year, New Opportunities
"Another year over, and a new one just begun," are words made famous by John Lennon. Are you making the most of the new year? Are you taking advantage of all of the financial tools available to you? 2023 brings about increased savings limits. Click here for some ideas that will help you make the most of your finances in 2023.

6 Financial Planning Questions We Wish Our Clients Would Ask
With well over 50+ years of financial experience on our team, we’ve had thousands of client conversations and answered just as many questions. Click here to read 6 questions that we wish our clients would ask to help them make the best financial decisions possible.

How to Teach Your Children About Money
As adults we know the importance of proper money management. Teaching your children about money can help set them up for financial success in their own lives. In this post, we asked our partners for actionable ideas and tips for teaching children of all ages about finances.

What I’ve learned about Time and Timing during my more than two decades as a Financial Advisor
Clients often ask, “Is now a good time to invest?” Seems straightforward enough, but I suspect what they’re really asking is, “If I invest now, will I have lost money when I need to spend it?” Their concern is about investing 'now' versus at some point that *might* be better in the future. Read more to hear our philosophy when it comes to the right time to invest.

Understanding Social Security
One of the most often asked questions from clients nearing retirement is, “When should I file for Social Security retirement benefit?” Read this article for a good overview of Social Security retirement benefits and ideas for claiming strategies.