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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.

Do you know how much money the baby boomer generation is expected to pass down to their adult children over the coming decades?

If you guessed somewhere in the billions… guess again.

It’s not just the money you make that determines how wealthy you are. Your mindset around the money you earn, use, and keep plays a huge role in how successful you are at using that money well, and feeling satisfied both with your finances and your life as a whole.

Markets balanced strong economic growth in the US against global trade tensions this quarter. Despite the escalating trade rhetoric, stocks ended the quarter higher and are once again positive for the year. The S&P 500 is still about 4.5% off from the all-time highs reached in January of this year.