The government shutdown is over. Government workers have returned to their jobs and back pay should be arriving soon (if it hasn’t already). Things are back to normal… for now. President Donald Trump announced on Friday, January 25th, a deal to reopen the government for three weeks after clashing with congressional Democrats over funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall. An estimated 800,000 federal workers went without pay for 35 days, and an additional 1.2 million contractual workers also didn’t […]

  So… you’ve finally made it to retirement. It’s time to sleep in, relax and enjoy some well- earned quality time. That’s exciting news! Or, perhaps you’re just a few years away, and starting to think more seriously about what your retirement will look like. Whenever we’re working with clients about planning their retirement, whether it’s in a few years or they’ve just retired yesterday, the most common question we always get asked is this… what should I do with […]

  Given a choice, everyone would wish for life to be easy and for success to just fall into their laps. However, my experience, and the life stories I have heard from hundreds of our clients, friends, and business associates has shown that life can be hard. Because SGL is a holistic financial planning firm we will concentrate in this article on “financial” success, but we fully acknowledge that financial success is one small part of having success in life. […]

  Home is where the heart is. And, right now, if your heart is at home in Chicagoland, you may be wondering what will happen to its value, especially if you’re planning to buy or sell in 2019. There are many questions that anyone planning their next real estate move might be considering right now: What will the housing market do in Chicagoland in 2019? What are the forces driving prices up or down? What are the trends? What should […]

  If you have ever attended one of our educational seminars you have probably heard Steve or Gabriel ask you if “your retirement would be the most epic road trip ever?” Although we ask this in a figurative sense, many of our clients want this in the most literal way possible! Hitting the road after retirement, whether by vehicle, plane, train, or cruise ship, is the goal of many people contemplating a work-free future. It’s true that retirement is the […]

  Everyone knows that as we get older it is a good idea to have scheduled, regular physicals and other check-ups with your doctor, dentist, optometrist, etc. But far too many people forget about another checkup that is equally important – a Financial Checkup. Just like things tend to change throughout the year with your health, financial changes seem to happen almost daily and are important to consider for your overall “wellness”. At SGL Financial, we strive to help you […]

  In wishing you a happy and healthy new year, I thought it would be a good idea to give you a menu of my eleven favorite new year’s resolutions to help make your 2019 even more exceptional. Most new year resolutions last just a few weeks or months and then run out of steam. So, I suggest you pick one or two of these and make a 100%, no matter what commitment to keeping your financial resolution for the […]

  “How long will my assets last during retirement?” This is one of the most common questions that I get asked when I’m meeting with new clients for the first time. Let’s face it – the future is always a big unknown, and in retirement, the biggest unknown of all is precisely how long you’ll live and whether your assets will last you through your retirement years! How do you find the answer to this question? What variables have the […]

  If you’re thinking ahead to retirement, or maybe you’re already in retirement, chances are you’ve developed some sort of plan for your 401(k)s and IRAs. You have determined if they will generate enough income for you to live comfortably. You probably also spent some time figuring out the best way to claim your Social Security Benefit. All of these items are critically important and you should applaud yourself for taking those steps! However, there is another clever but less […]