Time to refinance? Mortgage rates for new purchases and refinancing are below 4%! I wanted to pass along a quick update to let you know that mortgage interest rates have recently dropped. It could be a great time to buy a home or refinance your current mortgage. The Wall Street Journal offers more information on […]
When it Rains it Pours: Considering Umbrella Coverage
Umbrella liability coverage, like all insurance, is something you hope to never need. But when you do need it, it can be a life saver. It isn’t as well known as other types of insurance such as home and auto insurance, but it can be just as important. Our job as financial planners is to […]
Prioritizing Retirement vs. Education Saving
Financial planning is not about meeting every goal you have. Instead it’s about setting priorities to achieve the ones that are most important to you. Every financial decision requires a cost versus benefit analysis. Most people simply can’t afford to do EVERYTHING on their goal list. One of our jobs as financial planners is to […]
Alphabet Soup – Selecting a Financial Advisor
Selecting a financial advisor is similar to selecting a primary doctor. You want someone you can trust, someone who communicates well, and someone who shares your general philosophy. But that’s not enough when you are selecting someone to help manage your life’s savings. Below are a few additional points to consider while interviewing candidates. I’ve […]
The Three T’s of Portfolio Management
Do you have what it takes to manage your money? To successfully manage a portfolio – any portfolio – you need to possess the “three T’s” : time, temperament and training. TIME Isn’t time always the bottleneck? You can’t be a successful investor without committing a certain amount of time to the task. If you’re […]
The Who, How, What and Why of Portfolio Management
Today I’d like to talk portfolios, but before we do let’s get some numbers on the table: There are almost 8,000 different mutual funds in the U.S. to choose from, along with over 1600 Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and another 6,000 individual stocks for those investors crazy enough to pick individual stocks. You’re not really […]
Saving for Retirement: Roth vs. Traditional IRAs
A question I get asked frequently is whether a client should invest in a Traditional IRA or Roth IRA. Unfortunately, this isn’t always an easy choice. Anyone who has spoken to me (at least about retirement accounts) knows that I am a big fan of Roth IRAs. But as much as I think Roth IRAs […]
Think You Don’t Need Disability Coverage? Time to Rethink.
As a working individual, especially one with a family depending on your income, one of your greatest assets is your ability to earn a paycheck. This asset is even more important as you consider that you have about a one in five chance of becoming disabled between the ages of 35 and 65. In fact, […]
Don’t Be Caught (dead) Without These Essential Estate Planning Documents
It’s no surprise that every financial planner suggests that clients have appropriate estate planning documents in place. But folks are often surprised that the suggestion applies to them. Many people don’t think they have sufficient assets to justify an “estate” plan. Some already have a will, never mind that it’s older than some of their (grown) […]
Investing
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