Before you read the rest of this issue and before you even think about your next transaction, a reminder of the fundamentals. Such as making sure you spend less than you earn. And saving for your retirement before putting money in your kid’s college fund. “It’s painful to be looking at financial resources, because often what you are talking about are constraints,” says planner Milo Benningfield. So take a deep breath and answer honestly.
 
Your Guides:
Milo Benningfield: San Francisco-based financial planner
Eleanor Blayney: Consumer advocate for the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards
Tim Steffen: Director of financial planning and wealth management at Robert W. Baird
Maria Bruno: Senior investment analyst at Vanguard Group
Meir Statman: Finance professor at Santa Clara University

Graphic by Allison McCann