YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Weaning off Fed's policies will be rocky

What’s good is bad; what’s bad is good. There have been a few times in my investing career when this paradigm has existed, and we may be heading into this topsy-turvey market environment once again.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Sit back and enjoy the ride – while it lasts

In case you didn’t notice, the stock market has been reaching new highs on an almost weekly basis for most of 2013.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Crafting an estate plan is important

A dear family member passed away last week, and some of the activity required to deal with the affairs of the estate has fallen to my Mom.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Futuristic investing the old-fashioned way

My wife is from Cincinnati, and she misses her family dearly. We do a good job of staying connected with frequent visits, but she tells me she misses everyday stuff like lunch with her sister or a nephew’s soccer game.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Financial world defies conventional paradigms

In August 2011, I refinanced my primary mortgage. It was right about the time S&P downgraded the credit rating of U.S. Treasury debt, which strangely enough caused interest rates to dive. I got a 4.12 percent rate. I was quite confident this would be the last mortgage I would ever have o…

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Obamacare brings investment options

Like it or not, Obamacare, or parts of it at least, look here to stay with a number of provisions starting this year.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Look beyond obvious risks

I recently attended an investment conference. These types of conference are typically structured with daily group sessions, interspersed with breakout sessions allowing attendees to explore ideas they find of particular interest.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Central banks waging assault on currency value

Late last week the financial world was stunned by an announcement from the Bank of Japan that the central bank would begin a program of buying financial assets including not only Japanese government bonds but stock market based investments and real estate investment trusts.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Modern Monetary Theory going mainstream?

We have discussed a number of times of the past few months the concept of Modern Monetary Theory, or MMT.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: No one-size-fits-all solution for long-term care

Perhaps the most difficult financial planning subject to address is the question of long-term care.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: I'm not altering investment strategy due to Cyprus

I’ve always been fairly decent at geography, so Sunday evening when headlines were buzzing with news of Cyprus, I turned to the globe for some frame of reference.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Too many factors influencing price of gold

Some of the most common questions posed to me have to do with gold.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: New Dow record a good time to re-evaluate

The Dow Jones Industrial Average exceeded its 2007 record peak with great fanfare this week.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Investors may not feel effects from sequestration

After subjecting readers and myself to what seemed like endless discussion of the frightful “fiscal cliff,” I was done talking about the incessant shenanigans coming out Washington, D.C.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: A race to the bottom

“Currency War” is the most recent buzz term in the financial media.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Future of the S&P impossible to predict

On March 23, 2000, the most widely used index of stock values, the S&P 500, reached 1,527. Over the next 2 1/2 years to September of 2002 the index dropped in value by 47 percent.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: More understanding leads to more hope for future

I’m a fan of the writing style of Bill Gross, the co-founder of the asset management firm PIMCO and manager of the world’s largest mutual fund.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: GDP report may not be as bad as it seems

The economy unexpectedly shrank in the fourth quarter of 2012. Such was the headline on Wednesday when the government released its report on total economic activity, a metric know as GDP.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Are best days of U.S. behind us?

History shows it has never been a smart idea to bet against the culture of American entrepreneurialism. We have consistently shown the capacity to innovate and get the job done.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Your relationship with your financial adviser

A relationship with a financial advisory firm can be one of the most important professional relationships in our lives. The world of finances is confusing and perilous. Assistance navigating the many decisions to be made can be invaluable.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Recent developments in China offer some opportunities

I have to admit I’ve never been a big believer in the rising China theme that has captivated the business world in the past decade.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Ramifications from cliff deal

After more undue hype than a heavyweight boxing match that results in a first round knock-out, our nation has avoided the dreaded fiscal cliff.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: 2012 predictions not too far of the mark

This year has been my seventh year writing “Your Mind on Money.” Also, 2012 was also the year I elected to move the column to The Times, which has proven to be a smart move.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Is MMT behind Fed, Dem decisions?

A couple of weeks ago I addressed the concept of Modern Monetary Theory, or MMT, in this column. I was a bit nervous about addressing this type of subject in this limited forum, but I have received more feedback regarding the MMT column than any other column written in the past few years.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Social security and online security

I attended some interesting education sessions and this week, and I thought I might recap some of the more interesting factoids regarding Social Security planning and pass on a personal story as well as a disturbing trend of which I was made aware.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Special dividend has advantages, disadvantages

This week retail giant Costco became that latest high-profile company to announce a “special dividend” payment to shareholders. The special dividend will be paid before the end of the year.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Next few weeks may be bumpy

Sometimes it’s no fun when you’re right.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Modern Monetary Theory playing out in U.S.?

I’ve been a student of economics my whole adult life. Not academic guns-and-butter type of economics, but I follow “popular” economics much in the way other guys might follow sports, and yes, I do still have a few friends.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Election results lead to different financial strategies

After what seems like an eternity, the 2012 election cycle will soon be coming to an end.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Estate tax could help with fiscal cliff

The term "fiscal cliff" is being bantered around more and more these days, so much perhaps that many of us have become numb to the idea.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Both candidates not addressing huge issue

Two debates into the final stretch of the 2012 presidential campaign and I amazed at the ability of both candidates and the media to dance around what in my opinion are the primary issues of this election.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Interesting weeks ahead for stock market

Presidential politics, Iranian mischief, Spain’s sinking credit rating and whatever whisper leaks out of Ben Bernanke’s mouth. Over the short term, the stock market is impacted by a lot of noise. Some of the noise is truly relevant; other noise, not so much.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Gloomy forecasts may have merit

What an interesting week.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Travel medical plans can prove worthwhile

In my position I am privileged to know a lot of different people and through working closely with more than 500 families I get to learn about many things, and pick up some really solid tips and advice.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Preparing for inflation becoming more important

The whole world is awash in money – new money. Last month the European Central Bank announced its “Outright Monetary Transactions” plan to use the central bank’s money creating powers to release and create new euros to go into the financial markets to buy government bonds.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Here we go again

Most of us recall the intense negotiations from July 2011 regarding the raising of the federal government’s "debt ceiling."

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Market hangs on Fed's decision

Every year around this time the world’s leading economists and central bankers meet at the Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming to discuss financial policy making and economic theory. The meeting is hosted by the Kansas City Fed and is known as the Jackson Hole Economic…

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Mobile payment systems will be huge business

I have to say I find the practice of carrying a wallet a bit tedious. Talk about a potential security breach; if I lose my wallet even an incompetent crook could charge an outlandish amount of gas and goods before I even figure out the darn thing is gone.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Investors addicted to Fed

Only in the topsy-turvey world of financial markets (well, maybe in politics too) can bad news be met with applause, but this is what we have going on with the stock market nowadays.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: High frequency trading has run rampant

We recently hosted and interviewed Sal Arnuk on the radio version of this column. Arnuk is the author of the book “Broken Markets," which I highly recommend to those interested in investing topics.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: President's words scares off investors

I try to stay apolitical with the column, but recent comments by the president about business achievement has started me pondering what really is ailing this country and our economy.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: An irrational level of fear?

The pace of new jobs being created in the U.S. has slowed to a crawl, the Europeans continue to teeter on the edge of financial catastrophe, American corn crops are a mess, the Iranians continue to misbehave and even the Chinese growth engine appears to be sputtering.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Corn prices pop with drought conditions

While the temperate weather we’ve had this week has provided a welcome break, the heat wave and drought conditions that persisted for much of June are having lasting consequences.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: The financial ramifications of Obamacare

Now that the suspense over whether the Affordable Care Act legislation, aka Obamacare, will survive the legal test has passed, it’s time to begin looking at the bill from financial planning point of view, attempting to discern what this law will mean to people in various life stages.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Oil prices offer a sticky situation

Been to the gas pump lately? Of course you have, and I bet you noticed a bit of a "break."

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: 'Fiscal cliff' may lead to stock volatility

Joel Phelps, the Republican candidate for Indiana's 1st Congressional District seat, was a guest on the "Your Mind on Money" radio show this week.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Recent signs point to deflation risks

Ask any investor "what did the market do today?" and they will most likely rattle off the change in the Dow.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: 'Collective' may be off the mark

It seems like half the world has decided they want to be a runner. People are running marathons, half marathons and 5Ks. Everybody seems to be running something nowadays.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Your pension may need prudent planning

Pension plans always have been considered as a stalwart and important part of the retirement planning of American workers.

YOUR MIND ON MONEY: Facebook IPO may provide needed distraction for market

I remember a time, not long ago really, when investors were properly focused on things like corporate profits, interest rates, stock splits and dividends.