Why I Do What I Do

By Michael Vaughn, CFP® My journey to the world of financial planning wasn’t always clear-cut and obvious. In fact, I started out in an entirely different career that I thought I would have until [...]

By Michael Vaughn, CFP® It’s hard to define exactly how much you will need to save in order to retire comfortably. Some researchers say to expect to spend between 55-80% of your pre-retirement [...]

By Michael Vaughn, CFP® There are so many things to consider when it comes to finances, from deciding whether to buy or lease your next car, to budgeting for retirement, to signing up for a [...]

By Michael Vaughn, CFP® The 2020s thus far have been anything but routine, and the volatility just won’t quit. From a global pandemic and historic inflation to an unparalleled housing market and [...]

By Michael Vaughn, CFP® You have big dreams for your children. But before they’re grown and out on their own, it’s important to teach them about things like a solid work ethic, kindness, respect, [...]

By Michael Vaughn, CFP® Billionaire and founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, has said, “Fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all.” And lately, it seems as though just about everything [...]

By Michael Vaughn, CFP® Receiving an inheritance is a bittersweet experience. On the one hand, you receive money that could improve your financial situation and provide a safety net to fall back [...]

By Michael Vaughn, CFP® The events of the last few weeks in Ukraine have been stressful and upsetting to many of us. The buildup of Russian forces along the border, rising tensions, and the [...]

By Michael Vaughn, CFP® As we watch the market go up and down (and then up again), we rarely think about the taxes we might pay with the rise of our portfolio or home value. But we should, [...]

By Michael Vaughn, CFP® After a three-year rally, the financial markets have been down for seven straight days, marking their worst slide since the pandemic decline in March of 2020. (1) Monday’s [...]