Entries by Sean Lane

Basis of Investment Decisions

We at Lighthouse Financial Advisors believe in investing strategically in Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) mutual funds because of their unique approach of translating financial science into practical investment solutions for clients.  We invest in Dimensional to build portfolios along the dimensions of expected returns that can be pursued in a cost-effective manner.  Their dynamic, market-driven […]

7 Steps to Success

7 Steps to Success   1: Gratitude and appreciation. Believe it or not, gratitude is the closest thing to a ‘magic pill’ you can take. (Use a daily gratitude Journal.  During your next meeting, ask us about our 21 days of Gratitude we recently complete here at LFA.) 2: Add value to the world and […]

One Month Left

Where did the year go?  Good thing there is one month left to take full advantage of all the tax deductions available for you.  One thing I’ve seen during the past two tax seasons  at Lighthouse Financial Advisors (LFA) is how clients benefit when everything they need for taxes is organized and complete before the […]

Keep It Simple

KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid), was the motto my high school basketball coach used to preach to us every practice.  Don’t try to force your passes; don’t do anything crazy when dribbling the ball; just stick to the basics and let the plays develop until you have the open shot.  Working at Lighthouse Financial Advisors […]

Charitable Contributions

We are more than halfway through the year but it’s not too late to start finding ways that can help lower your 2013 tax bill.  Donations to charity are a tax deductible expense.  These donations can reduce your taxable income and lower your tax bill, while helping others in the process. Taxpayers are required to […]

Tackling Student Loans

Over the past 20 years, the annual cost of a college education has risen by 130 percent, according to the College Board.  With that said, Americans have racked up around $1 trillion in education debt from both federal and private student and parent loans.  Preparing for repayment of school loans may not take immediate priority […]

Important Steps for FHA Homebuyers

Purchasing a home is one of life’s major landmarks for some;  it is even a dream come true for others.  FHA loans are designed for low to moderate income borrowers who are unable to make a large down payment. FHA loans allow the borrower to borrow up to 97% of the value of the home. […]

2012 Income Tax Deadlines

With another year in the books and the first month of the New Year quickly coming to an end, we would like to share important dates:   January 2013: All employers, businesses, banks and other financial institutions begin preparing the numerous tax documents to be mailed out to us individuals.   January 30, 2013: The […]

Building the Foundation

Having recently started my career at Lighthouse Financial Advisors, I am working to obtain every bit of knowledge I can from Robert and the LFA team. I am very fortunate to have this opportunity and aspire to receive my CFP accreditation in the near future.  It is important to me to not only “learn from […]

The Inadequacy of Our National Savings

I found the article below intriguing.  It helps explain specific issues Americans face, while preparing for retirement.  It was written by John C. Bogle, the founder and retired CEO of The Vanguard Group; also known for his famous book Common Sense on Mutual Funds: New Imperatives for the Intelligent Investor.  In this article John goes […]