Where’s the Beef?
What a Difference a Year Makes! Those who thought the S&P 500 would be the best place to invest in 2016 may have been surprised to find that “the beef” was to be found in many other types of investments last year. Some of the most unloved asset classes recovered well after February with Energy, […]
How to Avoid the Mutual Fund Tax Trap
It seems that every year in December we get a multitude of calls from clients regarding a pretty common occurrence for mutual funds, but nonetheless an often misunderstood one. December is the time of year when most mutual funds pay out their capital gains to shareholders. While generally speaking, a capital gain means an investor […]
Turning Death, Divorce, and Multiple Lawsuits … Into a Positive Experience
Eight years ago this weekend my father passed away in a horrible car crash. My brother Tim and I worked diligently to settle items in the estate, closing down a plastic surgery practice, dealing with fallout from various business interests, winding up the domestic relations order from his recent divorce and working through the probate […]
How To Get The Best Answers
The Key is Starting with Great Questions When you read something particularly good, it’s hard not to want to share with everyone. Many ideas are original but sometimes other ideas are just too good not to share. Ben Carlson wrote a particularly good blog last month that I felt I should share with everyone and […]
Is Warren Buffett Giving Contradictory Advice?
A Discussion of Passive vs. Active Warren Buffett is widely acknowledged as the greatest investor alive today. Last year he was ranked the third wealthiest person in the world, down from number one a few years back. Despite his roots as a value investor whose favorite holding period is forever, in recent years he has been […]
Is Warren Buffett Giving Contradictory Advice?
A Discussion of Passive vs. Active Warren Buffett is widely acknowledged as the greatest investor alive today. Last year he was ranked the third wealthiest person in the world, down from number one a few years back. Despite his roots as a value investor whose favorite holding period is forever, in recent years he has […]
Laddering versus Chunking
Many times clients come to us to find a better rate than what their bank is offering when a CD is coming due. Sometimes they are looking for the best short term rate because they fear interest rates are going up and want to have the money available sooner rather than later. Other times they […]
Which One Are You: #1 or #2?
“Forecasting is difficult because we don’t know what is going to happen in the future” – Yogi Berra It’s interesting how people tend to extrapolate into the future. They erroneously assume that what has happened recently will continue at the same pace for the foresee-able future. It is a behavioral trait that many exhibit that […]
Is a “Back Door” Roth IRA Right for You?
Have you ever known something was right for you and been told you couldn’t have it? It can be pretty frustrating. Many high-income earners, who would like to contribute directly to Roth accounts, cannot do so because of IRS income limits. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for high-earners to reap the benefits associated with […]
7 Reasons for Roth IRAs: Why Not Now?
It’s almost tax time. During April, many people take advantage of the opportunity to reduce taxes by funding a Traditional IRA. While that makes sense for some Americans, others may benefit by contributing to a Roth IRA that offers no immediate tax break, but has other tax advantages, such as tax-free growth potential and tax-free […]