Financial Planning

Prepare Not Predict

Prepare Not Predict

Author Nancy Hatch Woodward once wrote, “Snow brings a special quality with it – the power to stop life as you know it dead in its tracks.” Anyone who lives in the Northeast knows this all too well.

On Thursday, November 15, 2018, the New Jersey/New York area was hit with one of the more notable November snowstorms in history. Parts of Northern New Jersey and New York City received upward of six inches of snow, with some areas getting hit with as much as ten inches.

It's Not Always as Simple as "Spend Less, Save More"

It's Not Always as Simple as "Spend Less, Save More"

The story of the millionaire next door has been told at nauseum. Since authors Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko first released their book “The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy” in 1996, the book’s themes have been used as an attempt to promote good savings habits.

Managing Sequence of Returns Risk

Managing Sequence of Returns Risk

A retirement calculator is a great tool for most investors. It lets you input a number of variables such as current age, planned retirement age, annual salary, annual savings, current retirement savings balance, and expected annual return and the calculator computes your estimated accumulated retirement account balance at retirement. Some calculators will even translate that lump-sum balance into an annual withdrawal amount. This is a straight-forward way to see if you are on track to meet your retirement goals and compare what you have with what you will need. If you don’t like your results, you can play with the inputs to determine what changes you should make.

Sustainable, Responsible, and Impact (SRI) Investing Conference

Sustainable, Responsible, and Impact (SRI) Investing Conference

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to attend the 29th annual SRI Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The SRI Conference is the premier annual gathering of sustainable, responsible, and impact investment professionals working to direct the flow of investment capital toward a truly sustainable future.

Positivity in a Sea of Negativity

Positivity in a Sea of Negativity

Over the past few weeks the focus of our weekly posts has been on the volatility in the global equity market. We have sought to provide some insight into what’s driving global stocks lower and provide perspective on how frequently drawdowns like the one we are currently mired in occur. We hope these insights and perspectives have been valuable for you and helped to give you peace of mind.

Mortgage Points: Is it Worth Buying Down the Mortgage Rate

Mortgage Points: Is it Worth Buying Down the Mortgage Rate

Whether you are a first time home buyer or a seasoned mover, there are many intricate details involved with taking out a mortgage. If you are purchasing or refinancing a home, there may be an opportunity to lower the interest through buying mortgage points. Although a lower interest rate sounds appealing, there may be drawbacks depending on your unique situation.

The Changing Dynamics of Emerging Markets’ Economies

The Changing Dynamics of Emerging Markets’ Economies

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index looks significantly different today than it did at its inception thirty years ago. For one, the market capitalization of emerging markets companies has increased from $52 billion in 1988 to $5.3 trillion as of May 31, 2018. This underscores the ability of emerging markets countries to contribute to the global economy, especially as global markets have expanded.

Umbrella Insurance Policy for Excess Personal Liability

Umbrella Insurance Policy for Excess Personal Liability

Protecting yourself and your family is top priority for most, and households purchase different types of insurance to ensure that they are properly covered from unforeseen events.

A very important form of insurance that people frequently overlook is Excess Personal Liability, which is commonly referred to as Umbrella insurance. Umbrella insurance provides additional liability coverage above the limits established through other basic liability policies like auto and homeowner’s/ renter’s. Umbrella insurance is designed to help guard against large and potentially devastating liability claims or judgments caused from bodily injury, property damage, lawsuits, libel, and slander.

Designating a Successor Family Chief Financial Officer

Designating a Successor Family Chief Financial Officer

Every couple has its own unique way of divvying up the household’s financial chores. This may mean one spouse is in charge of investments and one spouse is in charge of paying the bills, or one spouse could assume all the financial responsibilities. In the latter case, the responsible spouse effectively assumes the role of the family’s chief financial officer (CFO).

Mortgage Interest Deductibility Maze: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

Mortgage Interest Deductibility Maze: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

On December 22nd, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 signed into law changed the tax landscape for individuals and corporations. Although there are many modifications to the tax code that will affect all Americans, the mortgage interest itemized deduction directly affects current and future homeowners.

The Benefits of a Total Return Approach to Retirement Income Funding

The Benefits of a Total Return Approach to Retirement Income Funding

Last year I wrote an article titled “The Shortcomings of Income Only Spending in Retirement,” which detailed the shortfalls of the popular strategy of spending only the income generated by a portfolio in retirement. In summary, the main drawback of income only spending is the tendency to increase portfolio risk when yields are low in order to generate more income.

3 Differences Between a Financial Planner and an Investment Advisor

3 Differences Between a Financial Planner and an Investment Advisor

It's no secret. There is a massive shift happening in the financial advisement industry. There are so many great opportunities opening up for young investors with smaller portfolios to have access to the same investment advisors and funds that millionaires have access to.