Your Money & the Markets in June
The markets went through a lot of turmoil in June, as stronger economic reports were offset by fears of the Fed tapering its bond-buying programs. Home prices, employment reports, and auto sales were all better than expected, unlike trade and GDP data. Together with falling business investment and government employment, that leaves the consumer and […]
Measuring Fear in the Markets
Fear is a basic emotion that all human beings experience when feeling threatened or uncertain. Fear can be caused by many things, from being afraid of losing a loved one, to being fearful of the ancient Mayan prophecies that predict the end of the world. Interestingly, an investor can also experience (and measure) fear in […]
New Market Highs? Interest Rate Fears? Now What?
In recent meetings with clients, the common question we hear is, “Where are we headed now that the markets have reached new all-time highs?” The obvious follow-up questions are: What are we going to do about it? Should we buy more? Should we sell? Should we take profits and head for the hills? These are […]
Whose Side are Financial Advisors On?
The April 23 PBS Frontline episode was the most-watched edition of the news magazine since the presidential elections—and with good reason. Titled “The Retirement Gamble,” it tapped in to a concern that really hits home with Americans these days: Whether we will be able to retire comfortably without outliving our savings. For some, the question […]
The Economy in May
Economic data, corporate earnings, and corporate forecasts continued to be a mixed bag even as the S&P 500 rallied past 1,600 in April. Markets reacted favorably when central banks made announcements to address some of the market weaknesses (European bankers reduced their target interest rate and the Fed affirmed that it had no plans to […]
Self-Employed? Not Sure What The Self-Employment Tax Is? Read here!
If you thought that running a successful business on your own was hard enough already, think again. As a self-employed individual, defined by the IRS as someone who operates a trade, business or profession, (either by yourself or as a partner), you are required to pay self-employment tax as well as income tax. Self-employment tax […]
2013 Q1 Client Letter
We have completed your 2013 First Quarter Holdings & Performance Report,and it is now available in your Client Portal (Sharefile).Our lower risk portfolios yielded high single-digit returns while are more aggressive portfolios turned in low double-digit returns. The first quarter of 2013 provided great returns across the global equity markets after a flat fourth quarter […]
On the Events in Boston
The heartbreaking events in Boston on Monday are a sobering reminder that tragedy can strike when we least expect it. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families. As we mourn the victims, we also hail the acts of courage, comfort and generosity we’ve seen from people in response to the tragedy: Regular […]
Credit Card Basics
Credit cards are magic little pieces of plastic that allow you to use money without having it, right? Wrong. The reality is that credit cards are magic little pieces of plastic designed to make money for the credit-card companies. Not being aware of your full responsibilities as a credit card holder can bury you deep […]
Protecting Seniors From Scams
Financial scams that target seniors are all too common—and they often end tragically. In one of the most recent examples, the Securities and Exchange Commission is charging a couple in Florida with using a charitable-gift-annuity scheme to cheat seniors out of $75 million. The alleged perpetrators, a husband and wife team, persuaded older investors to […]