Spring is still a month or two away (although anyone living in SoCal may be pardoned for thinking differently). Spring brings us a freshness—not just in our natural environment, but for many of us, in our personal ecosystem as well. As most of you know, we endeavor to provide much more than insurance services to […]

Below you will find a guest post about using Indexed Universal Life insurance in retirement from my personal friend and colleague John “Hutch” Hutchinson. John and I collaborate with a group of sophisticated insurance professionals once a year to share ideas, stay current with our industry, and sharpen our craft. John has done an excellent […]

Earlier this year I received a call from a very dear friend (and client) that would set in motion a series of events that has impacted my life in ways I would not have imagined. It’s taken me several months to write this, but of all the blogs I’ve written, this might be the most […]

The Proof is in the Pudding Really! Wouldn’t that be an unfortunate and messy place to find the proof? Before it was condensed to its current colloquial use, this 15th century proverb went like this: “the proof of the pudding is in the eating.” In its original context, “pudding” was not referring to a creamy […]

One of the less publicized (but no less controversial) components of President-elect Trump’s campaign platform during the run-up to the election is the overhaul of our tax system. While possibly one of the most significant aspects of his platform, this got lost in much of the rhetoric surrounding other more “tawdry” issues. This tax system […]

Have you ever been to a chili cook-off? Perhaps you’ve even participated in one. I’ve participated in many, none of them professionally, but that never prevented me from engineering my very best recipe. I’ve done traditional ground beef, braised chuck, chicken, vegetarian, and more. I’ve done hot, mild, sweet, with beans and no beans, and […]

Don’t Spoil Your Dinner! When crafting a dinner party menu, many things come into play. Who are the guests at the table? Do they have any food restrictions or aversions? Does the menu follow a logical culinary progression? Slowly and meticulously I build the menu, course upon course, until I’m satisfied I have the right […]

Who Cares? Some folks love to dine out regularly, while others prefer the comfort of home-cooked meals. Many enjoy a balance of both options. Having options, and being able to exercise them, greatly improves the quality of our lives. So what happens if and when those choices suddenly disappear? Anyone who has had a family […]

A Fate Worse Than Death Can you imagine if you could buy insurance to cover the risk of a restaurant going out of business? What a concept! According to an often-cited University of Ohio Study, 60% of restaurants do not make it past their first year, and 80% fail within five years. So who would […]

Zero, the Hero! Ever hear about the mathematician who hated negative numbers? He would stop at nothing to avoid them. (Relevance to be explained…) Imagine a really great meal: hors d’oeuvres, appetizer, pasta, main course and dessert, all matched with a perfectly paired wine. A meal like this, perhaps coupled with great company, has wonderful […]