Our Commentary

AL.com recently reported on the arrest of a two-man Detroit theft ring who were in possession of 177 stolen identities. Identity theft continues to be a growing multi-billion-dollar problem. I feel like the wildebeest crossing the crocodile infested Mara River. I’m only protected by the law of large numbers. What are your best moves to […]

Soon thousands of young adults will head to college, many for the first time. As parents, what is it that you hope they’ll learn from the college experience? Looking back on my own experience, I realize that I was shipped off with very little guidance and received virtually no guidance along the way. I guess […]

The statistical needle hasn’t moved much over the past few decades. The divorce rate in America continues to hover around 50%. I wish this were not the case and I would strongly urge any couple to attempt any and all means to resolve their conflict through other means. Of all the divorces I’ve witnessed, most […]

In doing an estate planning review for a client recently, the subject came up of whether their three children should inherit his substantial IRA outright versus going to them in a trust.  This is actually a pretty sophisticated question since trusts for IRAs are fairly rare.  For context, let’s review the nature and characteristics of […]

Reader Question:  I have about $280,000 in a 401k and plan on retiring in August of this year. I will need to use some of this money to supplement my retirement. What would you suggest I roll it into? Answer:  Let’s discuss three options: Leave your retirement money with your soon-to-be ex-employer. Some people choose […]

I often hear people say, “You go to college to get an education.”  I’d say a more accurate statement is, “You go to college to prepare you to get a (good) job!”  Too many parents and students miss the subtle yet profound difference in these two statements.  Let’s think about this for a moment.  Does […]

Last week, I outlined six smart moves including the concept of avoiding ‘bad debt’.  If you missed it, visit ‘Stewart’s Commentary’ under the Resource Center at Welchgroup.com. Here are the remaining six smart moves: Avoid bad debt around owning a car. I once had someone tell me, “I thought you always had a car payment!”  […]

As I reflect back on my college years I mainly remember how much fun it was and then once I entered the ‘real world’ feeling a bit shocked at the reality of it all.  There is definitely a feeling of leaving one world and entering another completely different one.  I also remember receiving very little […]

In last week’s column, I discussed seven tips for having a winning job interview.  Once you’ve got that new job, here are the six habits for becoming a super star employee: “Lights on…lights off”.  Before I started my first job, my father gave me this advice, “How you conduct yourself in the first six months […]

Hundreds of thousands of students will soon graduate from high schools and colleges across the nation and will seek either summer or full-time jobs.  It’s no secret that the job market continues to be very tight, especially for first-time job seekers.  In many cases, you’ll have only one shot at making a great impression.  Here […]