Maximizing 2024: Year-End Financial Planning Opportunities to Consider
Most of us planner types are starting to worry about upcoming financial changes that may happen with a new President and Congress. There have been some “wild” campaign proposals put forth that, if enacted, would materially impact many businesses and investors. Recognizing that what is said on the campaign trail to rally votes doesn’t normally […]
Election Reflections: Separating Politics from Portfolio Strategy
With the impending election, we haven’t had too many conversations lately where the topic didn’t come up. Everyone wants to know how the election will impact their investment portfolios. As humans, it is easy for us to pontificate about our perceived pros and cons of the candidates, but as you all know, we’re not big […]
Working With a Broker-Dealer vs RIA
What are the differences between a Broker-Dealer vs RIA? That may seem like a mundane question, but it’s an important one. We encourage people to understand what capacity their financial advisor works in because it can have important implications for your investments and the costs you incur. What Is an RIA? (Registered Investment Advisors) are […]
Protecting your investments in a market downturn
Is the recession finally here? Roughly two years ago, economists predicted what they called the most widely anticipated recession ever. The whole world seemed to be holding its breath and bracing for the worst. But we got lucky. The stock market shrugged it off, and the recession never happened. Then early last year, many experts, […]
Is working with an investment advisor worth it?
People used to count on their investment advisors to always do the right thing for their clients. This was dictated by their fiduciary duty – the responsibility for advisors to work in their clients’ best interests, which continues to guide professionals such as a CFA [Chartered Financial Analyst], CPA [Certified Public Accountant], and CFP [Certified […]
Beware Annuities: Why High-Net-Worth Investors Should Avoid Annuities
While annuities can be a part of some financial plans, in most cases, better options are available for our clients. We carefully evaluate each situation to determine if an annuity truly aligns with their retirement goals. Often, we encounter new clients who come to us with annuities as part of their financial plans. While occasionally […]
Craftsmanship in quality investment management
How to spot craftsmanship in quality investment management If you or someone you love needed surgery, you’d want to go to the best doctor. But how would you know who’s the best? You could check patient reviews. Unfortunately, those are often riddled with complaints about a doctor’s gruff chairside manner or the unnecessarily long waiting […]
Why everyone is (probably) wrong about bonds Q1 2024
Interest rates have gone up the past few years, by a lot. That could be a bad thing if you’re looking to buy a house and need a mortgage. Or it could be positive if you are enjoying a higher interest rate on your bank deposits for the first time in many years. Where interest […]
The New 529 Plan Rules
Using 529 plans to save for college education can be low-cost and tax efficient. However, some people have shied away from using them because there is a lot of uncertainty about how they will be used. The Challenge of Saving the Right Amount for College Determining how much to save for college is always a […]
What if we don’t have a recession? – Q3 2023
Early last year, it was common knowledge that we were about to enter a recession. In fact, many in the media were calling it the most anticipated recession ever. Despite the certainty, we’re still in an economic expansion, and now many prominent economists, including those in the Fed and Treasury, are saying a recession is […]