The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2018 was one of the largest sweeping set of tax code changes in history. Among one of the lesser known changes was an alteration to the rules impacting the utilization of 529 savings plan assets. It opened the door for change in the way families utilize 529 plan […]
Two hydrogen atoms to one oxygen atom and you get an amazing substance! H2O, AKA water, is a shape shifter. It can be a gas, invisible to the eye. Physically harmless to touch. It can be a solid when frozen into ice. Get wacked with that, and OUCH! Leave your hand on it too long […]
How about we flip the tables, and make you the advisor this month? Does that sound fun? Are you up for the challenge? Good! You are approached by a widower who is younger than 59 1/2. He has inherited a Roth IRA from his spouse. He is gainfully employed, and life insurance proceeds were sufficient […]
Did you get your taxes done on time? Good for you! It seems each year many of us scramble to get our taxes done while searching for ways to reduce our previous year’s federal income tax. Whether doing your own taxes with the assistance of an online preparation service like TurboTax, or working with a […]
Here are a few questions I have to ask you. Do you have investments? Do you have a 401(k), IRA, or another retirement savings plan? Do you own a non-retirement brokerage account with stocks, bonds, or mutual funds? If you said yes to any of these, you’re paying somebody to manage your money. The financial […]
The World Was Flat In the past, financial advisors have relied on a well-balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds to manage a client’s risk versus return. While the general practice is widely accepted, if you ask 50 different financial advisors what a well-balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds looks like, you’ll likely get 50 similar, […]
For nearly three decades interest rates have declined. Stock market volatility sent investors fleeing to safety, driving interest rates further south. Americans saving for retirement have been forced to make a choice between historically low interest-rates succumbing to eroding effects of inflation, or risking their money investing in a volatile and unpredictable stock market. Recent […]
What’s the difference between average rates of return and real rates of return? Let’s say you begin with $100,000. You invest all of it in marketable securities. Then the market goes up 25% over a 1-year period. In that case your $100,000 becomes $125,000 if you sell your securities. That’s pretty exciting. We know that […]
The TAX CUTS & JOBS ACT is in the books. It may be seen as a benefit to individuals as well as some business structures. Whether you are for or against the tax cuts, and their impact on the country and economy, it’s best to discuss how to take advantage of the new changes. In […]
One of the most mystifying risks in retirement is the Order Of Returns risk. Investing in marketable securities exposes you to this risk. The future value of your investment is unknown. It might go up (+) or down (-). Returns don’t occur in a straight-line pattern. If you own stocks, bonds, or mutual funds within […]