We are so excited to welcome back Cameron Hendricks to the Financial Symmetry Podcast! He is back to discuss the journey of writing a book about financial decisions and how they affect your family dynamics. We chart his growth in thinking about financial planning and helping people achieve their financial goals.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2rfNp0z

As with any financial decision, investing in real estate requires a lot of thought and planning. We've pulled together five of the most important things you should consider before you buy any time of investment property, be it residential or commercial.

You should also consider whether you're passionate enough about maintaining property to dedicate significant time and money to the endeavor. Real estate is no small undertaking, but can be fulfilling if you enjoy the process.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2q5NC5T

Everyone has a unique road to financial literacy. One common trait we all share is that we hope to pass our wisdom on to the next generation, and that they will learn valuable lessons while they are young. In today's episode, Chad and Mike share their best tips and tricks for educating your children about money.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2oTSL1K

Saving for retirement often feels like the biggest and most-talked about goal of financial planning. And while there's a lot that goes into successful retirement planning - healthcare costs, keeping track of spending, and tax planning - there are some pitfalls that a comprehensive financial plan can help you avoid.

Today we're doing one of our famous Top 10 episodes and counting down the top ten retirement mistakes to avoid. We cover everything from how you should budget your spending, to unanticipated costs, to the tens of thousands you could save with intelligent tax planning.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2oypJDI

Today we're talking about one of the larger purchases you might make: buying a car. 90% of consumers say that price is their most important consideration when buying a car, and that negotiating is the most painful part of the process. Big purchases can be stressful and confusing, but there's no reason your financial planner shouldn't be able to make them easier.

We walk step-by-step through the process of buying a car, beginning with determining what you can afford. You'll also have to consider the functionality of your new purchase, and what owning a car really means to you. We also cover the question of buying vs. leasing, and where to go to get independent consumer reports about cars you're considering.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2nxfDAj

The word "fiduciary" is being tossed around a lot lately, largely because of the Department of Labor's oncoming regulations. We thought it would be a good idea to talk about what fiduciary advisors don't look like, so you can choose an advisor that always puts your interests first.

First we talk about what fiduciary means and why it only applies to retirement advice. Then we go through a list of five examples of non-fiduciary advice so you'll know it when you see it. We cover the importance of transparency, duty of care, and the difference between suitable and fiduciary advisors.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2na4Iif

For many of us, our parents getting older is a tricky situation to navigate. How do you respectfully offer your help? Ensure they get the best care? Know what to do with their bills and other finances?

For our first-ever interview, we're speaking with Cheryl Theriault of LifeLinks Care, a group of nurses, social workers, care managers, and other professionals that specialize in helping families navigate elder care. We've worked with Cheryl and her team in the past, and thought she would be an excellent guest to talk about this sometimes-sensitive topic.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2kBFFiW

Mike's turning 40! As he hits this milestone, they guys explore the lessons he learned over more than 17 years in the financial services industry. Mike and Chad will reflect on the top 10 lessons learned from these experiences in this week's episode of the Financial Symmetry Podcast.

Top 10 Investment Lessons Learned

1. Following the crowd is not a recipe for investment success. It's OK to be different.
2. Sometimes saying no is the best decision.
3. Making yourself more marketable and attractive to employers through personal development will only help you in the long term through increased earnings and job security.
4. Limit your employer's stock to no more than 5% to 10% of your portfolio.
5. Take the emotion out of investing by setting up an automated investing schedule.
6. Don't get caught up in the short-term noise; focus on the things you can control.
7. A diversified mix of stocks and bonds gives you a better chance of sticking with your investment plan than a 100% stock portfolio. Stocks may provide a greater long-term return, but if you sell at the bottom it doesn't matter.
8. Implement and follow an investment strategy and stick with it in good times and bad. If you don't have a strategy, implement one or have a financial planner help you.
9. If you can avoid pouring too much money into equities when the market is riding high (March 2009) or too little when it's sinking low (October 2007), you'll be better off. Studies by Vanguard, Morningstar and Dalbar show the average investor trails the market by 1.5% to 3% per year due to poor decisions caused by wanting to jump on the latest fad.
10. Time is your best friend: Implement a disciplined investment strategy, be patient, focus on what you can control (savings, taxes, and so on) and avoid a big mistake. If you can't do this, hire a fee-only financial planner to help you stay on track.

Did you meet your New Year's Resolutions last year? Have you set goals for the New Year? In this episode, Chad and Mike discuss the five small steps you can take to make your resolutions attainable.

You likely would rather think about ANYTHING other than their taxes. And even though you want more tax savings, you rarely follow through with proper tax planning. Most people don't realize the large amount of tax savings they could have by making a few simple tweaks. Instead they operate under the "penny wise, pound foolish" mantra. Missing substantial savings to save the cost of a professional. By performing professional tax planning towards the end of the year, there is often thousands in tax savings available. You can read more about our 10 tips to help you save more when filing your taxes this year.