Are You A Casually Competent Investor?
Steven Grey and Advisor Propsectives recently published a stellar article titled “The Myth of the Casually Competent Investor”. Not only was he spot on with his analysis, he gave some great analogies about how everyone considers themselves qualified to beat the market. A small snippet of the article shows two great examples of how silly […]
Hindsight is 20/20, But the Future is Unpredictable
How many times have you heard someone say, “In 2008 I knew the market was going to crash…” – or some similar statement of prescience? That would be an example of how hindsight creates an illusion of understanding, as described by psychologist Daniel Kahneman, who won a Nobel Prize in economics for his work […]
Market Madness
During this time of the year office brackets and friendly wagers are seen everywhere, luring in even the faintest of sports fans. This epidemic, also known as March Madness, has gotten ahold of everybody and is the craze of the nation for almost a full month! So besides edge of your seat excitement filled games, […]
Market Commentary- April 2013
Market Commentary Stocks wrapped up a stellar first quarter with the S&P 500 finishing at an all-time high, besting its last high in October 2007. For the quarter, large-cap stocks (represented by the S&P 500) were up 10.6%. Small-cap stocks also did quite well, returning 12.4% in the first quarter. International markets had a positive […]
The Million Dollar Question: Pension Lump-Sum or an Annuity?
If you are fortunate enough to have a defined benefits pension plan at work, you may have a very important upcoming decision to make. The task of deciding between a lifetime monthly payment or a 7 figure one-time payment can be daunting, To compound the complexities, there are various different annuity options factoring in […]
Part 4: What Opportunities Have I Missed?
The last part of our “Why to Use a Financial Advisor” series involves missed opportunities. Knowing there are unknowns out there in financial planning is the first step in identifying areas that can be improved. A few examples of common missed items that we optimize for clients are: 529 Savings Plan in NYS – New […]
Part 3: Can’t I Do This Myself?
Believe it or not, the simple answer is, “You can, but most likely you won’t.” Emotions – How do you feel about a 10% market downturn? If you have $10,000 in savings, the $1,000 loss stings, but it is not the end of the world in terms of retirement. How about if you have $1,000,000? […]
Tony Farella in USA Today!
The USA Today published an article by our one and only Tony Farella. (Link) The full text version is shown below. Is it worth paying for 401(k) advice? Christine Dugas, Money Watch columnist5:13p.m. EST March 9, 2013 (Photo: Thinkstock) STORY HIGHLIGHTS Investment advisors usually have more knowledge and discipline 401(k) plan participants may not […]
Part 2: I’m in a Life Transition – Now What?
Years go by with casual spending and saving until one day a major life event materializes. It could be a happy moment such as a marriage, retirement or an additional child. A life event could also be a sorrow-filled experience of a death, a divorce or a loss of a job. Regardless of the event, […]
Part 1: A Coach Can Take You Farther!
No matter how good a swimmer Michael Phelps was, he would have never reached his level of success without a patient and willing coach like Bob Bowman. The coach-athlete interaction, which includes accountability, camaraderie and hard work, pays off in all aspect of sports. No one would question that Syracuse University’s basketball success was in […]