How to treat variable income

Published 6/11/2017 in The Maryland Daily Record We are often advising clients who are the beneficiaries of trust and royalty income. In each case, we spend a good amount of time educating them about how to treat these types of variable income streams. It is a critical misstep to create a lifestyle that is locked…

Finding a second chance in life

Published 5/12/2017 in The Maryland Daily Record On April 24, I took an afternoon away from my office to visit the men’s and women’s prisons in Jessup. This visit was offered to members of the Baltimore Women’s Giving Circle and my friend Lisa Vogel and I jumped at the opportunity. I visited the Maryland Correctional…

Keeping our biases in check

Published 4/7/2017 in The Maryland Daily Record A client of many years recently pointed out to my staff that an email confirmation she received from my office regarding the completion of a money transfer is the first of this type of communication she had ever received. This shocked me, because of all firms we certainly…

Social media for the reluctant

Published 3/10/2017 in The Maryland Daily Record Anyone who knows me well will vouch for the fact that I am not a fan of social media. Having tried Facebook many years ago and only to shut down my profile soon after, I feel liberated from the traps of social media. I didn’t have great self-control…

In pursuit of the truth

Published 2/10/2017 in The Maryland Daily Record In a recent conversation with a top-notch family law attorney in town, I had the benefit of hearing really honest and direct feedback about his experience with financial advisers. I was connected to this attorney by the business development professional at his law firm who is tasked with…

Fancy pants and financial discipline

Published 1/6/2017 in The Maryland Daily Record I sat across from a new client recently and declared, “You’re a fancy pants … I know this because it takes one to know one.” To her credit, this client took my comment in stride, and we had a good laugh about the telltale signs of a true…

Finding your business niche

Published 12/9/2016 in The Maryland Daily Record As more time goes on, I am seeing even more clearly how beneficial my decision to focus on such a narrow niche really is. I reconnected with a colleague that I had not talked to in a few years because he remembered that when I left Smith Barney…

October and DVAM bring a new awareness

Published 10/10/2016 in The Maryland Daily Record October is a month where we call attention to an issue that is impacting so many people in so many different communities. DVAM – Domestic Violence Awareness Month and reflected in the purple banner that calls people to action – is a call to honor those who have…

A widow finds strength in numbers

Published 8/5/2016 in The Maryland Daily Record CPAs, estate attorneys, advisors — there are no technical details that escape us. This is why clients rely on us. So when we have worked with a couple for years and the husband, who has been the primary contact, dies, our focus shifts to how will we can…

Five lessons from working with divorcing couples

Published 7/6/2016 in The Maryland Daily Record Recently, I have been in intense negotiations between divorcing spouses. This is not work for the faint of heart. I finish each work day after these meetings feeling emotionally exhausted and, at times, unclear as to what has been accomplished. With more time and reflection, I become aware…

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