Over the past year and a half, we’ve watched the price per gallon of gas steadily decline. If you’re like me, you may have smiled as you filled up your vehicle recently for less than $2 a gallon. However, over this same period of time, you’ve probably noticed your investment portfolio struggling through unusually high volatility and some sharp declines in value. Let’s take a look at some historical data… Read More
Qualified Charitable Distributions
Permanent: “lasting or intended to last or remain unchanged indefinitely.” Since 2006, Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) have been a part of the tax code. A QCD allows an IRA owner who is at least 70½ to make a distribution from his or her IRA, directly to a qualified charitable organization. As of December 15, 2015, Congress has voted to make QCDs a part of permanent tax law. This is welcomed news… Read More
Market Volatility: What Do We Control?
It has been quite a start to 2016 in the stock markets. Just 19 days into the New Year the S&P 500 was down 9.25%. Many clients ask us what to do in these volatile times, and our response is a simple one: Focus on what you can control. None of us can control the stock market and no one can know what will happen tomorrow, or this month, or… Read More
Consistency
I’m not a big New Year’s resolution guy, but for 2016 I have decided that I would make a commitment to focus on one theme or virtue per month and endeavor to apply it to my business and personal life. For January I have decided to focus on consistency. One definition of consistency is the steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, or form. With five kids and several of… Read More
What’s in the Box?
When I was a child, I was very impatient. Those of you who have energetic children and grandchildren can probably relate to the immense energy inside a young child. My impatience showed itself in guessing what was inside my Christmas presents. I loved to shake and examine my gifts, trying to figure out what was inside before I tore through the wrapping paper. Sometimes I was able to guess what… Read More
Check It Off Your List
As we enter the final month of the year, I am guessing that you probably have a lot of things you need to get done. I can imagine that a number of lists have your attention. I’m sure there are things on your list related to the Christmas season like the Christmas present list, the prepare the house for Christmas to do list, and the holiday gathering list. Many of… Read More
A Valuable and Inexpensive Gift
The gift giving season is rapidly approaching. May I suggest a thoughtful gift that will cost you very little money but could be a great benefit to your spouse and/or children at an important time in life? I am referring to a comprehensive inventory of your financial assets, legal documents, and other important papers. Here are the things you might include: Bank, Savings & Loan, Credit Union accounts: account numbers,… Read More
Invest in a Stranger
Steve Hartman’s “On the Road” reports on the CBS Evening News tend to bring tears to my eyes. These human interest stories are meant to add a pretty bookend to the news of misery, injustice and suffering just reported in the prior 20 minutes. The sugar that helps the medicine go down. On February 28, 2014, Steve met up with Myles Eckert. His interview with the then 8-year old boy… Read More
“Who We Are” Blog Series – Planning and Service
In this fourth and final article in our “Who We Are” Blog Series, I will address our philosophy as it relates to financial planning and client service. There are three key philosophies that shape our planning and services to our clients: the client is the center of what we do, wise financial decisions come from understanding and applying fundamental financial principles, and financial products are only tools to implement broader… Read More
“Who We Are” Blog Series – Investing Philosophy
As we continue in our “Who We Are” blog series, we turn to the core of our business: investing and managing money for our clients. Recently, our Investment Review Committee (IRC) has worked to clarify our investing philosophy. We have been wrestling with the academic research available to us, the strategies we have employed in the past, and how those two things affect the advice we give our clients. We… Read More
