Diversify your 401(k)
If you currently work for a publicly traded company, there is a good chance that you own some of their stock in your 401(k). You may even have incentives from the company to own more of it. In fact, some companies make their matches or profit sharing contributions in their own stock which just increases […]
Top Ten Money Excuses
Human beings have an astounding facility for self-deception when it comes to our own money. We tend to rationalize our own fears. So instead of just recognizing how we feel and reflecting on the thoughts that creates, we cut out the middle man and construct the façade of a logical-sounding argument over a vague feeling. These arguments […]
Fund your Retirement, not Wall Street!
A recent article in The Economist talks about the reasons to stick with low cost ETF’s and proper asset allocation for the long term success. “The best way for investors to play the odds is to choose low-cost ETFs or trackers and diversify geographically and across asset classes. It is not an exciting strategy. It will […]
Controlling Costs – A Financial Recipe for Success
I have seen people drive miles out of their way for the cheapest gas, shop at multiple grocery stores for the best prices, and even wake up at uncanny hours to receive the best deals on holiday presents! As consumers we are always looking for a good deal, and price is one of the largest […]
Investor Behavior: Market Timing Pitfalls
Dalbar, an independent communications and research firm, has done countless studies trying to quantify the impact of investor behavior on real-life returns. Their studies focus on the difference between investors’ actual returns in stock funds to the average return of the funds themselves. Basically, they are comparing the return the investor gets to the return […]
Financial Planning Etiquette: Clients First!
“The interests of the client continue to be sidelined in the way the firm operates and thinks about money.” This is a direct quotation from Greg Smith’s recent op-ed that he penned after stepping down as a senior executive of Goldman Sachs. Holding himself up as a man of integrity, Mr. Smith couldn’t stand working […]
The Tradeoff: Preserving Capital or Preserving Purchasing Power
Many aspects of life require careful consideration and balancing of the tradeoffs that arise from competing demands. For example, a common lifestyle tradeoff is working longer hours versus spending more time with your family. The competing demands within this decision are the income necessary to provide a suitable quality of life for your family versus the immeasurable […]
A Decade Lost?
The holiday season is a great time to see friends of old who are back in town and catch up with family you don’t get to see as often as you would like. While getting caught up on each other’s lives, and amidst the small talk, most people these days bring up their dissatisfaction with […]
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff . . . Well Maybe Sometimes
In the world we live in today, we are constantly reminded not to sweat the small stuff. We are told to not let the little things get in the way of living our lives and pursuing our dreams! That is so true and why we shouldn’t worry about the gossip being spread around at work, […]
What Everybody Ought to Know About Dividend Paying Stocks
All too often lately, I have heard people talking about their individual stock holdings and the income they are providing them in retirement. They love mentioning how they are receiving quarterly income from these companies regardless if the stock market is trending up or down. The stockbrokers refer to this as the “get paid while […]