Articles by Oakleigh Wealth
Open Letter Re: Changes at Oakleigh
It had always been my goal to be a financial planner who is a “general practitioner” or a “jack of all trades.” I love exploring the universal issues we all have around money as well as digging into a broad range of topics. However, I have also come to realize the drawbacks of such a wide focus, especially as a solo practitioner. I never want to compromise on providing excellent client service, expertise, and transparent value for each of my clients.
10 Free & Effective Ways to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
The threat of identity theft looms larger than ever before. Cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to steal personal information and wreak havoc on your financial well-being. Protecting yourself from identity theft is an essential piece of a comprehensive financial plan. Here are ten inexpensive and effective things you should be doing to safeguard your identity:
Defining the Elements
At Oakleigh, we use an app called Elements to show a quick snapshot of your financial health and track specific key metrics over time. This is very similar to how a doctor might track your vital signs to understand your physical health and quickly diagnose specific issues. Of course, there’s a story behind all of these numbers and we would dive much deeper for a full financial planning engagement. However, you might be surprised by how many important issues can be uncovered and addressed from these high-level metrics alone.
Financial Assessment for a Couple In their Mid-30s
Ever wondered what a financial assessment looks like? Here’s an example assessment of a married couple in their mid-30s with two young children. Mike is an architect working for a larger firm making $95k per year and his wife Mary just received a raise at the consulting firm she works for, and is now making $260k per year after finishing an executive MBA program. They have two children in daycare, but they feel like they should be able to do more with the good money they’re making now, but life just continues to get more complicated.
A Transparent Look at “Fee-Only” Financial Advising
There are so many different types of “financial advisors” in the marketplace, there’s no wonder that many folks lump them all together into one. Tell someone you’re a financial advisor at a party and they’ll either ask you for your latest stock tip, or they’ll quietly shift their wallet to their front pocket so they can keep an eye on it! In my experience, sadly, the latter is probably the more rational response!
What’s with the name Oakleigh?
When I was 11, my family moved into a neighborhood called Oakleigh Forest, a modest, multi-generational, suburban community near Annapolis, MD made up of hard-working professionals, public servants, and small business owners. It also happened to be the same neighborhood where my father had grown up, and where my newly retired grandparents still resided in that same house down the street.
