Query Capital Financial Guidance

06/20/2024

I was quoted generously in nice pride article about LGBTQ financial planning in Financial Planning magazine.

"When I think back to the legacy of discrimination, the AIDS crisis and all the trauma that's affected people's lives, I think that has ripple effects," Tan said. "What I hope for this generation is to think about, 'How do I have the kind of stability in my life that allows me to show up for my community?'"

(FYI there's a login wall but it's free)

Financial advisors can create welcoming spaces, understand family structures, be thorough with paperwork and maximize savings.

01/08/2024

The federal trade commission has announced a permanent change to allow you to download a free credit report from the now ill-named AnnualCreditReport.com

Your credit report shows the raw information that is later used by companies like the Fair Issac Corporation (FICO) to make your credit score.

I review the credit reports for all incoming clients and have found concerns many times. You probably don't need to download one every week, but this is your reminder that this service exists to begin with!

https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/10/you-now-have-permanent-access-free-weekly-credit-reports

The three national credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — have permanently extended a program that lets you check your credit report at each of the

11/06/2023

I find it incredibly salient to see that oil companies, who finance the politicians that are trying to outlaw investing with the environment in mind, feel so threatened by divestment.

In recent weeks, Jim Jordan's House Judiciary Committee accused five big shareholder advocate groups of collusion. But does that argument hold up?

11/02/2023

This month in my Monthly Money Musings Newsletter, I discuss how retirement plans invest in war by default. This is a practical guide to getting more insight into your own investments.

If you're like most people, when you fill out choices in your retirement plan, you likely aren't thinking about arms manufacturing— even if your thoughts in recent times revolve around the immense loss from escalating war. Even for people who engage in boycotts as a consumer, passive investment in...

06/19/2023

On this Juneteenth, I’m resurfacing a 2021 newsletter I wrote connecting some fundamental lessons in finance to the legacy of slavery and economic harms to Black Americans.

“When you look at the returns possible in this time, is it any wonder how we've reached this yawning chasm of inequity? The value of these lives can’t be quantified, but I can tell you that the centuries of lost time are worth more than inflation.”

This article explores the effect of compound interest and the continued legacy of racism in America.

06/13/2023

I like being married now, but I didn’t always think that it would be for me. I came of age during the push for legalization of gay marriage when all other rights were being sidelined for an arguably assimilationist goal. So, it was easy to think that gay marriage was not for q***r people.

In his 2015 essay, "A Modest Proposal", David Sedaris posits that,

“The battle for gay marriage was, in essence, the fight to be as square as straight people, to say things like “My husband tells me that the new Spicy Chipotle Burger they’ve got at Bennigan’s is awesome,” and “Here it is, Valentine’s Day less than a week behind us, and already my wife is flying our Easter flag!””

So maybe marriage makes us basic. But does it make us wealthy? I’m not so sure.

As Sedaris realizes later in his essay, he and Hugh have a huge upside if they marry—but only because they are multi-millionaires who could benefit from the unlimited ability to leave assets to their spouse tax-free.

How much of a privilege is it anyways? To be honest, the financial upside is a little spotty. If you are in a couple and ambivalent about marriage, blink and you might miss the benefits.

But there are a few benefits of marriage worth mentioning. Let’s explore it together.

If you are in a couple and ambivalent about marriage, blink and you might miss the benefits. But there are a few benefits worth mentioning.

05/30/2023

I shared some thoughts with Yahoo Finance! in this great article about millennials' financial relationships with their parents.

"Clients often feel mixed about receiving this or other types of support because of the desire for independence and the power dynamic and strings that may be attached," Tan said. "He said parents also might give money to their children but also "expect to move in later and receive support as they age."

"Any of these dynamics can be healthy as long as they work for the people involved."

Nearly 70% of millennials worry that their parents may not have enough money to live comfortably in retirement.

02/28/2023

Listening to oral arguments in the supreme court today on student loan forgiveness. Fingers crossed!

12/20/2022

Home equity as an asset is not without risk and its appreciation is reliant on housing scarcity. The concepts here pair nicely with the more prevalent notions of homewonership’s potential benefits.

Real estate should be treated as consumption, not investment.

10/20/2022

PSA: The application for student debt forgiveness is now live and you're encouraged to apply before November 15th to hopefully receive it before payments resume in January.

05/01/2022

Since I work with millennials, I see a looooot of student loans and work with clients to plan for their debt as a part of their long-term financial plans.

Check out this article I was quoted in regarding inflation, rising interest rates, and student loans. It's a good read!

Inflation can be both good and bad when you have student loans. It depends on the type of interest, and if your salary keeps up with costs.