If your way of assessing the state of the world is only through stories gleaned from the regular media, then you are likely missing out on all the marvelous and wondrous advancements of human society over the previous years and decades.

With news reports during the final months of 2018 focusing on market volatility and US budget problems, it has become very easy for investors to focus their attention mostly on short term and transitory issues.

Planning is about weighing the probabilities of certain outcomes coming to pass, and their impact on...

It is possible for just about everybody to achieve financial success. Getting there is usually not a matter of financial wizardry. By following some basic principles, you can make your financial dreams come true:

Goal setting is the foundation of achieving financial success. If you don’t have a target to shoot for, how can you expect to hit it? By writing down your goals, you will clarify them and establish your personal and financial priorities. Be specific when setting goals. For example, instead of having a goal to reduce debt, set a goal to reduce debt by a certain amount by a certain date...

Ralph became concerned about what would happen to his hard-earned estate after seeing what had happened to some people he knew.

Vivian had remarried and chose to cut costs by using a do-it-yourself will kit. Because she had not allowed for the obligations set out in her deceased husband’s will, it took years and cost thousands of dollars in legal fees to settle her estate. As her cash assets earned income while held in trust, her heirs had to pay income taxes on income they hadn’t even received.

James had a substantial farming operation on the outskirts of a small town. The town grew and eventually...