Blog

Aptitudes and Attitudes
Our thoughts on money, life, simplicity, and the pursuit of happiness

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

So the stock market has taken a small tumble. What now? Could it take a bigger tumble? Could it rocket to the moon? The real question you might be asking yourself is, "What should I do with my investments?" Absolutely nothing.

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

I’m a DIYer at heart and often reluctant to seek help from pros. If I’d worked with a trusted advisor throughout my life, though, there would have been far less financial drama. Talk to a planner. Your 50-year-old self will thank you.

Saturday, July 22, 2023

It takes two to tango and a financial plan is a “we statement.” It is a lifelong dance. At its core, a financial plan represents a series of trade-offs of time and money, long-term and near-term. Those things are hard when one person...

Saturday, July 8, 2023

It’s hard to consistently and systematically pick a portfolio of individual stocks that beats a simple index fund over time. There are many reasons why this is the case, but we’ll focus on three: market efficiency, competition from pros...

Friday, June 30, 2023

At the end of the day, your money is finite. Your money can work for you or it can work for the advisor. It can't work for both. Recognizing that trust is essential in any relationship with a financial advisor, we recommend you take...

Show All

Friday, June 30, 2023

When we talk to our clients about saving for their children’s college education, there is usually a moment when we hear them pause to catch their breath. This usually happens right after we talk about the price tag. According to...

Saturday, June 17, 2023

Many people who give financial advice have business models that make it hard for them to work solely for you and in your best interests. We believe you’re better off—and will have a greater sense of control...

Saturday, June 10, 2023

The most important decision of our lives, how much to save for retirement, has been an afterthought for many of us. For people barely skating by and living lives adapted to their salaries, the subject is painful and therefore delayed...

Saturday, June 3, 2023

The keys to financial success are pretty easy to articulate, really. Find a job you love [or at least don’t hate], spend less than you make, save for rainy days and retirement, and invest simply and wisely. It all starts with...

Saturday, May 27, 2023

If you have the DIY ethic, we believe you can manage your own money as a DIY investor. Self-educate, keep it simple and understandable, optimize tax-efficient accounts, automate your investment contributions, then set and forget it...

Saturday, May 20, 2023

A truism of investing is that there is no return without risk. In general, the higher the perceived risk, the higher the future returns. If the stock market seems especially risky, that probably bodes well for future returns. We...

Friday, May 12, 2023

Financial planning would be easy if our lives were predictable. Stuff happens though, right?. We think it makes sense to think about the many potential contingencies in our lives in relation to their consequences and probability. In...

Thursday, May 4, 2023

We’ve worked with hundreds of new attending physicians over the past several years and gained insights into some of the unique characteristics of their financial situations. For the most part, early-career doctors’...

Saturday, April 29, 2023

Most of our clients are parents. This of course means they’re dead-dog tired most of the time. Parenting is hard. And awesome. We sympathize and empathize with parents, so in an attempt to make things a wee bit easier we offer...

Friday, April 21, 2023

Simplicity almost always beats complexity. Simplicity requires planning, mindfulness and focus. It demands resolve, patience and sometimes benign neglect. Ultimately, simplicity inspires confidence, reduces anxiety and frees our time...

Saturday, April 15, 2023

At Aptus, we believe that happiness, peace of mind, and financial freedom hinges on spending less money than you make. A good cash flow plan should help you determine the best balance of spending on important things like a home,...

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

A lot of people who call themselves financial advisors will try to talk your ear off about investing. Boooooring. Hey, I love investing as much as any red-blooded finance nerd but that's not the key to building a strong financial...

Thursday, March 16, 2023

Since 2011 Aptus has been on a journey with hundreds of clients who’ve taken on the challenge of self-managing their investments. I remember when my initial clients did their first backdoor Roth conversion; made that first trade...

Thursday, March 16, 2023

One of our core philosophies at Aptus is “simplicity beats complexity.” We believe simplicity beats complexity, not just in investments but in many facets of life. Your retirement outcome is more likely to be determined by...

Thursday, March 16, 2023

The first, and by far the most important, step in building wealth is setting your savings rate. We recommend adopting and implementing a cash flow system to help sharpen your savings calculations. A good cash flow plan should help you...