I am fascinated by the human mind and our emotions, particularly as they engage money. This blog is based on my financial planning practice, my current research and attempts to understand them.

Let me share my own bias. My fundamental belief system is humanistic in nature. Accordingly, I tend to seek empirical data that embraces the concept of free will or the power of choice. That is my worldview. Generally, it serves me well in both my personal life and my professional services.

Don’t save your best for last.  About a month ago, a close friend of mine called to confirm our lunch plans but asked if I could come his way instead of him traveling towards me.  In retrospect, I’m glad I said I would go anywhere to meet him for lunch.  I didn’t know then that it would be the last time I would ever see him.

You can probably imagine my dismay when the spouse of a new client abruptly said “if this doesn’t change, I will leave this marriage.”  We were discussing his wife’s use of credit cards and the fact that she was faced with a significant amount of revolving debt for the fourth time and she was seeking relief from the monthly payments.