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My eldest son is house hunting. This is a major purchase for him, and he wants to make a sound investment.

One frequent mistake of first-time homebuyers is to “over buy,” thinking their future salary will make the payments easier. Buy a house you can afford and will enjoy living in rather than one that will appreciate. Start with your personal financial considerations.

I met a young couple recently on their third “financial adviser.” This one sold them a flexible premium variable life insurance plan. Insurance agents are held to a “suitability” standard, but this case pushes the limits of my definition of suitability.

Insurance is designed to transfer risk from the individual to the insurance company.

On a Hawaiian vacation some years ago, Janet and I joined a group that was hiking to a World War II fort on the top of a mountain. Once there, we stopped to rest and enjoy the expansive view of the Pacific. One of our group, significantly younger and fitter than the usual tourist, had worn a large backpack for the whole climb.

I always struggle with my professional title.

Some of the standard monikers include financial consultant, investment adviser, financial adviser, wealth manager, financial planner, investment manager, financial coach and personal CFO. In my opinion, most titles are for marketing purposes and are generally meaningless.

I’ll confess. I am not good with budgeting. I have a rough idea of what I should spend, but often get distracted and don’t pay close attention.

My husband and I are to the point in our careers where day-to-day money management does not affect our overall financial situation.

With apologies to author Judith Viorst, the title of her ‘Alexander’ book from 1972 seemed perfect for my 2020 year-end article.

Growing up, we had family friends who owned a candy company. As a child, it seemed like working there would be a dream job – surrounded by candy. Better yet, the company policy allowed employees to eat all the candy they wanted. You see the trap, right?

2020 has been a stressful year. In normal years, many people find November and December stressful. There are generally more expectations and activities from holiday parties, decorating, gift-giving and general busyness.

While this year might not have as many activities, I am sure most people will find it just as stressful, just in a different way.

One of the highlights every year is attending the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors conference. This year, the conference was virtual. I missed networking with other advisers. Several of the sessions I attended focused on the needs of women.