Stonecreek Blog

Ben Franklin is credited with saying that nothing is certain in this world but death and taxes.1 What’s interesting is that this quote by Franklin comes after he spent nearly a decade serving as the American envoy to France—a country with arguably the most unfair, burdensome, and inefficient tax system

Each of us is a unique individual. There never was and never will be the exact same mix of personality traits and talents, woven together in a unique social environment. And yet, in some ways we’re remarkably similar to everyone else. A good example of this is how we all

In 1902 the New York Evening World newspaper used the phrase “feel like a million bucks.” This was a brand new idiom for expressing a feeling of extraordinary well-being.1 At the time, surgeons and bankers could expect to make about $1600 per year. You could buy a new Ford for

One of the most basic principles of economics is that markets don’t like uncertainty. Even if a factor contributes to growth in the long-run, its immediate results are unpredictable, investors will respond by pulling back. The first quarter of 2025 saw a swift succession of events, each of which on

Have you heard the term “shakedown cruise”? It sounds like a boat trip planned by extortionists. But the term actually refers to an age-old practice used to prepare oceangoing ships.1 When a vessel is brand new or has had extensive refitting, it can be difficult to predict how it will

A friend of ours was lamenting how slow and costly it was to sort out his parents’ estate after they had both passed away. His father thought that by setting up a trust, everything would be easily distributed to his heirs. Unfortunately, our friend and his siblings found out that

Christine Benz knows a lot about managing money and saving for retirement. For decades she’s been a personal finance columnist for Morningstar, the influential investment research company. Benz has demonstrated her expertise in books like 30-Minute Money Solutions and The Morningstar Guide to Mutual Funds.1 But as she was conducting

Knowledge has its limits. Just because you know all the reasons you should do something, doesn’t mean you’ll actually do it. For example, there are nurses who smoke cigarettes, paramedics who drive recklessly, and estate attorneys who haven’t written out their own wills. At least if you have the knowledge,

As last year’s robust gains continued into the fourth quarter, financial analysts were using an explanatory term you might be more likely to hear from a shaman: animal spirits.1 They were using it to refer to the strong emotions that sometimes drive economic behavior, especially the herd mentality that seems

You read that headline correctly. You can still potentially reduce your tax liability for last year by making contributions to your eligible qualified accounts by April 15, 2025. And to maximize your tax savings for this year, it’s good to familiarize yourself with any changes in contribution limits for 2025.

Benjamin Franklin was so varied in his accomplishments, he almost seems like a mythical character. One of the leading scientists of his time, he discovered key principles of electricity and first documented the Gulf Stream. He invented the lightning rod, the Franklin stove, and bifocal glasses—all of which are still

Saving for retirement is a big challenge. In order to be able to live without a job, a person needs to accumulate a significant nest egg of assets that can be turned into cash flow. To do this requires them to keep control of their personal finances while aggressively funding

The 1994 movie Forrest Gump featured one of the best fictional investing decisions in all of film. Late in the movie, Gump receives a letter from his war buddy and business partner Lieutenant Dan, which informs him how Dan has invested the profits from their shrimp business.1 “He’s got me

In the movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray’s character finds himself having the same interactions over and over again. In fact, early in the story he puts a great amount of effort into trying to break out of these rote exchanges. But one of the things that has made the movie

Do you remember the first time you went on Zillow? For many of us the initial draw to the real estate site wasn’t so we could buy or sell a home. We wanted to see how the value of our neighbors’ houses compared with ours. We love to compare ourselves

The start of a new year is a great time to make improvements to your personal, professional, and financial life. However, as you’ve probably experienced, making significant change isn’t easy. Research shows that only 9% of people succeed at keeping their New Year’s resolutions. In fact, nearly a quarter of

January 1st is synonymous with New Year’s Day just like July 4th will always be Independence Day (at least for Americans). But has it ever struck you that observing the start of the year in the middle of winter seems a little arbitrary? Wouldn’t it make more sense to begin

There’s a long tradition of remarkable-but-true stories associated with the holiday season. After all, it’s the darkest and coldest time of year (in the northern hemisphere) and maybe that’s why stories of unexpected generosity and hope stand out. Take for instance Peggy King’s story of a last minute “Santa” who