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There are countless biases and cognitive errors that humans make on a daily basis -- and many of them can affect whether or not you find financial success.

The 4th quarter saw global stock markets sell off into bear market territory. The sell off was triggered by concerns over the US – China trade war and the ripple impact it is having in economies around the world. Economic growth decelerating at a quicker pace than expected. The slowdown is partially linked to the cautious business environment stemming from the trade war.

The markets delivered a Christmas gift that no one asked for this year, a bear market. Stocks capped a turbulent year with a steep sell off in the fourth quarter. 2018 was a tough year for almost all assets categories around the world. The best performing asset was cash beating both stocks and bonds. This is the first-time cash has been the best performing asset since 1994.

I am humbled that over 60,000 people read articles on our website this year. Our goal is to help take financial planning and investment topics and write about them in a relatable way that is helpful to our readers. We are so grateful for our readers and feel free to suggest topics you would like us to cover in 2019. Thanks again for reading and here are our top posts for 2018!

This is my fifth year of compiling my favorite book list. It is the shortest list I have posted. I didn't get to read as many recommendable books in 2018. My reading list this year consisted of more management and technical books to help with certain areas of Castlebar. None of these made my favorite list.

With the end of the year quickly approaching there are still a few things you can do to help your financial situation before the new year. Here is a quick list of items to look at this year which will give you a boost in 2018 and get your 2019 off to a great start.

Have you ever thought about what you would do if you received an inheritance?

The US markets are entering the final quarter of the year in a strong position. The S&P 500 had its best quarterly performance since 2013, hitting fresh all-time highs again this quarter. Other milestones were reached as Apple and Amazon became the first companies in the US to reach a $1 trillion market value.

We have all become accustomed to the ritual of checking our credit scores and credit reports. It has become much easier than in past to stay on top of this task. Our credit card statements and credit monitoring services passively update us on changes in our credit reports.

We’re currently experiencing the longest, biggest bull market in history. Despite a number of reasons to feel some concern about the future -- be they political, humanitarian, other otherwise -- you probably have even more reasons to feel optimistic about your finances right now.