As fall sets in Seattle we know what’s coming, rain!  Saving for a rainy day is an idiom whose origins are really unknown, but all of us...

As the summer winds down I’ve found this blog harder and harder to write.  After a lengthy delay, here’s item 5 of my Top 10.  Couples...

There is a world of investment knowledge out there.  Knowing some of the basics is crucial to your success.  I’m not going to pretend to...

The next topic in my Top 10 is “Take Risk”. Let’s start out with a simple question.  Would you rather bet money at a casino or invest the...

A while back I was going through some old mementos and came across my 6th grade yearbook.  Apparently, I was going to be rich as a...

First item in my Top 10 list is “Know your Spending.”  As we’ll see, financial planners aren’t people with whom only the wealthy engage. ...

Writing this blog has been a great experience so far.  Admittedly, writer’s block combined with the day to day of running a business has...

One of my worst encounters with a client occurred a couple years ago.  He was a younger guy in his early 30’s with a wife and two kids,...

People come to me for different reasons.  One recent encounter was when a couple received an inheritance.  It wasn’t huge, maybe $50k,...

One common question advisors get is: should I contribute to my Roth 401k or Traditional 401k?  The same question goes towards IRAs.  My...

I recently spoke at my son’s school for career day representing financial advisors.  The other guy presenting is an airline pilot.  I was...

Rolex or Timex?  Same number of syllables, big difference.  Both tell time, but one carries a status.  Financial advisors sell both a...

My first post dealt with my dislike of commission sales and getting my feet wet in the industry.  I learned how hard it was to succeed in...

One of those silly little goals I've always had was to have head-cut photo in the Wall Street Journal. That's the sketch-type drawing at...

Welcome to my blog all things financial services.  Since this is my first blog post, let me introduce myself.  My name is Jon Zetlmaier. ...