A client recently told me about a call he received from the Internal Revenue Service that seemed suspicious. The caller left an urgent callback request, but he was not adept at representing himself as an IRS agent. Regardless, my client was concerned about the IRS having access to his fee-based investment account. Unfortunately, this […]
Read ArticleApril Market Commentary
Warren Buffett: Takeaways from a stellar 50-year track record Market Performance Index MTD % YTD % 3-year* % Dow Jones Industrial Average -1.97 -0.26 10.40 NASDAQ Composite -1.26 3.48 16.60 S&P 500 Index -1.74 0.44 13.66 Russell 2000 Index 1.57 3.99 14.70 MSCI World ex-USA** -2.09 3.17 5.29 MSCI Emerging Markets** -1.59 1.91 -2.19 Source: […]
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For some, the mind is a battlefield. For others, it’s a tranquil pond. The difference between those two states is a personal journey that involves both the mind and the heart. And, you are never completely in one state or the other; it takes continued effort and discipline over time to get the results you […]
Read ArticleWhy Some Uber Drivers Are Losing Money
COST DEPRECIATION, CARS, AND UBER As a Certified Financial Planner® professional, I’ve been talking with clients about cost depreciation for years. The concept can be a little difficult to grasp, but it’s perhaps most clear when discussing automobiles, new cars in particular. Surely you’ve heard that when you drive your new car off the lot, […]
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The National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) recently released a public opinion research report that found that an overwhelming majority of Americans – 86 percent – believe the nation faces a retirement crisis. Some of the findings are: Some 86% of respondents agree that the nation […]
Read ArticleWhy Tim Duncan Hired The Wrong Financial Planner
NBA star Tim Duncan became the latest professional athlete to file suit against his financial advisor. He alleges that Charlie Banks, who he’s been working with for 17 years, pushed him into investments despite conflicts of interest that ultimately resulted in substantial loss. “I invested in a series of opportunities presented by Charles Banks, […]
Read ArticleMarket Commentary March 2015
In the midst of 2008-09’s downward economic spiral, gloom, and talk the economy could enter a Great Depression, the S&P 500 Index ended March 9, 2009 at 676.53, according to data provided by the St. Louis Federal Reserve. Few predicted at the time that stocks had put in a bottom, and investors had just given […]
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In the old days, not so long ago, investors had to decide if it was worth it to them to sacrifice returns by supporting socially responsible companies instead of “sin” companies that produced a more robust bottom line. Looking at it simply from an investment perspective, some studies found that excluding sin companies resulted […]
Read ArticleMarket Commentary February 2015
Volatility is a word analysts throw out frequently when markets gyrate sharply over a short period of time. One day it’s sheer ecstasy and the next day if feels like despair. Investopedia defines it this way: “Volatility refers to the amount […]
Read ArticleTop Transfer Tax Techniques
Death and taxes are a pairing we often hear featured together due to Ben Franklin’s famous quote “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Death will take us all, but we can have some control over taxes, especially Transfer Taxes. First, let’s start by understanding that Transfer Tax […]
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