Hawley Personal Finance

Providing objective, practical and as-needed advice to answer your personal financial questions.

As of June 2020, I am no longer creating new content. Some details may change from year to year, but my approach takes a long view. It is my hope that the concepts and philosophy in the archives prove timeless and helpful.

What’s a Good Bank Worth to You?

Your bank is the hub of your financial life. It’s where your paycheck is deposited. It’s where bills are paid. It’s where savings are directed to other accounts. And it’s where you work towards some of your most important near-term financial goals like building an emergency fund and saving for a down payment.

Given its importance, don’t you owe it to yourself to find a good bank? One that makes it easy to manage your financial life? One that not only doesn’t charge you ridiculous fees, but maybe even helps you grow your money too? ... Read More.

5 Things Not to Worry About with Investing

I don’t know if there are any studies on this, but my guess is that investing causes more stress than all other financial topics combined.

Between the confusing jargon, the endless list of mutual funds, ETFs, and retirement accounts to choose from, and the constant ups and downs of the market, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, confused, and downright anxious about whether you’re making the right decisions and whether you’ll be okay.

But today I’d like to give you a little relief. Because there are a lot of things you shouldn’t be worrying about when it comes to your investments, and here are five of the biggest ... Read More.

Two Big Reasons to Watch Your Investment Fees Like a Hawk

John Bogle, the founder of Vanguard, once said: "In investing, you get what you don't pay for." That may sound strange, but it’s true. In fact, minimizing your investment fees is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to increase your odds of success. Here’s why ... Read More.

When It Makes Sense to Buck the Traditional Financial Advice

Let’s say that you’re 30 and you inherit $500,000. What should you do with the money?

Traditional financial planning advice might look something like this:

Establish an emergency fund
Pay off debt
Get yourself on track for retirement
That’s all nice and prudent, but is prudent always the right move? ... Read More.

Top 5 Financial Mistakes Beginners Make

There’s a lot of financial advice out there. Enough that your head starts to spin when you try to take it all in, understand it, and figure out which pieces are relevant to you.

I’d like to make it a little easier for you by pointing out some things NOT to do ... Read More.

A Different Take on Retirement Planning

I think it's safe to say that we all have the goal of one day reaching financial independence. That is, the point at which we have enough money in savings and investments to support ourselves for the rest of our lives. So, how much money is enough?

Most of the time that question is answered with a single big number. And it's true that in the end you're working towards a single total amount of savings and investments. But that total number is composed of many smaller numbers representing the savings you need to support each individual expense ... Read More.