December 31, 2019

While shopping recently, I was asked by a cashier how much she would owe in taxes on an IRA she liquidated. It was an interesting question on many levels.

December 31, 2019

Based on the daily news, it seems that there are aren’t enough warnings when it comes to financial crimes against the elderly. While some of the scams seem so obvious (Did you ever knowingly enter a lottery in Nigeria?), we react differently when we’re in the moment. You’re distracted, the phone rings, you hear the word ‘police,’ and you immediately go into crisis mode.

December 31, 2019

As clients know, we use several mutual funds offered by Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) when we build investment portfolios. Their passively managed funds are based on extensive research, that claims to identify certain company-specific attributes that lead to better performance over extended periods.

By John Zeltmann

December 24, 2019

Congress recently passed one of the most significant pieces of retirement planning legislation in a decade: The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act ("the SECURE Act"). The new law changes how we plan for our clients' financial lives, so we thought it would be helpful to summarize the key implications.

November 15, 2019

I typically use Stan’s World as a space where I share with clients various experiences in my life that might relate to them. Perhaps it’s about a study I read that may be relevant to a few or a lesson learned that might apply to others. In this instance, Stan’s World will be about taking things for granted and not stopping to enjoy all that we have. You see, I visited a place which caused me to appreciate the timing of my life; maybe it will cause you to appreciate yours as well.

November 15, 2019

One of my daughters recently took a call on her cell phone because the caller ID showed the name of one of her sisters. But when she answered, she was surprised to find that it was a solicitation. Surprise! How’d they do that?

Source: Direxion Funds

November 15, 2019

• BIG PERCENTAGE – The market cap of the S&P 500 is 80% of the total market capitalization of all US stocks as of 9/30/19 (source: BTN Research).

• IS THAT ENOUGH? - 58% of 1,015 Americans surveyed in August 2019 believe that a retiree who has accumulated $1 million in pre-tax investment accounts will be able to enjoy a “comfortable” lifestyle in retirement (source: TD Ameritrade).

September 30, 2019

I’ve detected recurring patterns when working with clients of different ages. Clients in their 40s and early 50s, for example, tend to ask various questions that pertain to the theme “How am I going to get there?” They want to know how much they need to save, how many years they have to work, and how much their portfolios will need to grow in order to reach “there”. “There” is an undetermined date in the future when work as they know it will cease, where they live will change, and how they live will be different. While “there” is often not well defined, it clearly represents a lifestyle change from “now”.

September 30, 2019

AARP¹ offers the following technology security tips, good for all ages. Forgive the duplication if we repeat some tips that we’ve previously discussed because you can never have too much security.  If you think these services may be appropriate for you, consider signing up.

September 30, 2019

Who doesn’t get excited about buying a new car? You’ve finished haggling with the salesperson, removed all the loose change in the seat cushions of the old car, and you’re all set to savor that new car smell. Before you drive off the lot, Consumer Reports¹ suggests you wipe your old car clean. Not the exterior, but a deep clean of the data you left behind.