“Don’t let the fear of failing keep you from trying. If you do fail, use what you learned to do better next time.” Those were the words the announcer shouted over the microphone as we stood at the starting line of the Spartan Race in Asheville, North Carolina. He was trying to prepare us for...

Every fall, students head back to school with fresh notebooks, sharpened pencils, and big plans for the year ahead. Before that happens, though, many families spend the final weeks of summer trying to squeeze every last activity into the calendar. One more vacation. One more baseball game. One more trip before the routine returns. I’m...

  Finding harmony between beauty, preparation, and perspective.  Some experiences stay with you long after they end.  Watching Yo-Yo Ma perform beneath the towering sandstone formations of Red Rocks Amphitheatre is one of them. Standing in Grand Teton National Park as the first rays of sunlight illuminate the mountains is another. And for soccer fans, attending...

Throughout this series, we’ve explored why annuities are often misunderstood, examined what happens under the hood, and discussed the different types of annuities available today. The goal has never been to label annuities as good or bad. Like any financial tool, their usefulness depends on the situation and how the insurance product is being used....