Most Americans think of doing their taxes as a daunting task that takes place every twelve months. Reactions differ from shock due to the amount owed all the way to joy from planning ways to spend a refund. Most of us want to forget about tax season the minute our
Anyone can call themselves a financial advisor. It is often hard for an investor to understand how to choose a competent financial planner. With hundreds of certifications, they may also have an alphabet soup behind their name. However, CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) is the most significant financial planning credential. A
Many business owners and CEOs see the value of a 401(k) not only for themselves, but their employees. What once was a well thought out benefit, often becomes a forgotten cost burden. If an experienced advisor is not monitoring a 401(k), the business owner may be left with a 401(k)
The growth of Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) has been phenomenal — socially screened portfolios have grown from $165 Billion in 1995 to well over $3 Trillion in 2012. Most studies suggest that SRI-screened portfolios have about the same risk-adjusted returns as their unscreened counterparts. Socially Responsible Investing not only earns
If lawmakers cannot agree on how to address the pending “fiscal cliff”, and why would we think they would, $7 trillion worth of tax increases and spending cuts will begin to go into effect in January. So how can you and your business plan for this? And what does it
The government recently announced that over 55 million Social Security recipients will receive a 1.7 percent increase in their benefits starting in January. This is among the lowest increases since 1975. However, this figure is tied to inflation which has been at extremely low levels since the great recession.
Investors have trouble keeping perspective of investing for the long-term after a decade of underachieving returns, volatility, and the recent slowing down of the economy. The psychology of investing dictates that investors remember periods of declining returns and the most recent economy rather than periods of high growth and the
Overview Until the last week of June, investors were waiting to see what the Supreme Court would do about the 3.8 percentage point tax on investment income – part of the 2010 health care overhaul. The new tax starts January 1, 2013 and affects joint filers that have an adjusted
With much attention, Facebook recently offered an Initial Public Offering or IPO. Throughout the process, the media commonly used financial language many investors did not understand. I received multiple questions from clients about IPOs. An initial public offering is the first offering of stock from a private company. Stocks, also
The Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration recently released the final rule to help Americans invest and manage money in 401(k) plans with additional clarity. Many experts are referring to the new regulations as the Fee Disclosure Rules or simply 408(b)(2). The overall idea is to provide plan sponsors
There was a time when 401(k) retirement plans were out of the reach of many small businesses due to high cost and complex administrative duties. This has changed – mainly due to technology. Retirement plans are now very cost effective and the administration streamlined. Any business structure – whether it
With 2011 in the rear view mirror, investors may look back and consider it to be the “year of the event”. The U.S. economy and stock market was affected by multiple events including the tsunami in Japan, the European Debt Crisis, and the overall ineffectiveness with the handling of the
Dividend paying stocks tend to outperform when the stock market decreases while paying a stream of income in the form of dividends. There is a reason they are called “widow and orphan” investments. However, these stocks are no longer just suited for the retiree crowd. With interest rates at historic
The government announced today that 55 million Social Security recipients will receive a 3.6 percent increase in their benefits starting in January. This figure is tied to a measure of inflation. There has been no increase in Social Security the last two years due to extremely low inflation.
If you think politicians in Washington are ineffective and create uncertainty, you are not alone. This is reconfirmed with polls showing the approval rating of Congress at all time lows. Eric Singer, portfolio manager and founder of Congressional Effect Fund (CEFFX), takes it a step further. He contends that legislative