This is Part Two of a two-part series on the Student Debt Crisis now facing America. In Part One, we looked at how bad the problem really is and how we got here. In this second installment, we’ll look at proposed student loan debt solutions and how with some good planning you can avoid becoming […]
Recently, there has been renewed discussion about whether employee investors should make traditional pre-tax contributions into their employer-provided 401k plan or take advantage of the Roth 401k option. Over the past several years, many employers have added a Roth 401k option to their retirement plan offering, which is the basis for the increased discussion. What […]
Most People Confuse Tax Deferred (will be taxed at some point) with Tax Free (will never be taxed) When most investors hear “tax free income”, they immediately think about investing in municipal bonds which are free from federal income taxation. There are many financial calculators for the tax free equivalent yield when investing in municipal […]
The old clunker sitting in the driveway is on its last leg, and you are trying to decide what’s next. You always see those commercials with the nice shiny brand new cars and the payments advertised seem reasonable until you realize most of them are for a lease. So, you are wondering if it makes […]
This month I’d like to hit on a topic that most of us avoid because it can be hard to talk about. That topic is planning for death, and more specifically, preparation for our own funeral, memorial service, and burial or cremation. On a personal note, I’ve been through this process in just the last […]
Some Updates and Reminders for Closing 2015 and Beginning 2016 As we ring in the New Year and put last year to rest, I wanted to take some time to run down a list of tax and financial topics of interest. These items are things of importance to consider as you prepare for 2016 which […]
Investing has changed in recent years. Long gone are the good ole days of the ’80s and ’90s when stocks seemed to go up every day and all you had to do was buy one … any stock. Or buy a share of the latest and greatest mutual fund. These products gained wide popularity during […]
Thanksgiving celebrations happened a few weeks ago and thus began the annual holiday season. And with just a few weeks to go before we put a bow on 2015, some portfolio managers will be scrambling to hopefully take advantage of yet another “Santa Claus” rally…the time of year when stocks seem to consistently rise because, […]
Since we are constantly being bombarded with what the Fed may do this month or next, I thought it might be a good idea to look at some history on how we got to this place with a specific eye on the Fed’s 2% target inflation rate. Arguing in favor of a hike is the […]
Welcome to reality TV, Federal Reserve style. As the Federal Reserve grapples with the decision of whether or not to raise short-term interest rates for the first time in almost ten years, the lead-up is playing out like a made for TV drama. It’s the newest in reality TV. Now, don’t get me wrong, this […]
