Mutual Funds vs. ETF’s
Our partners at Charles Schwab produced this short video to help explain the difference between Exchange Traded Funds (ETF’s) and Mutual Funds. It's common amongst investors to have little understanding of the difference between the two. There are times when it makes sense to choose one over the other. Timing, taxes and expenses are all factors. Schwab now has over 2000 ETF’s and Mutual Funds that can be purchased with no commission or transaction [...]
Getting to the Point of a Point
A quick online search for “Dow rallies 500 points” yields a cascade of news stories with similar titles, as does a similar search for “Dow drops 500 points.” These types of headlines may make little sense to some investors, given that a “point” for the Dow and what it means to an individual’s portfolio may be unclear. The potential for misunderstanding also exists among even experienced market participants, given that index levels have risen over [...]
Income Calculator – Translating Your Savings to Retirement Income
Focusing on INCOME when investing for retirement, and following a strategy that addresses the RISKS that can affect your future income and standard of living is extremely important! Many are saving and investing to support future spending, but most are focused on a magic number, not the income that a that number can support. Ask yourself... How much income should I expect my retirement savings to generate once I stop working? When thinking about retirement, [...]
Déjà Vu All Over Again
Investment fads come and go. Letting short-term trends influence your approach may be counterproductive to pursuing your financial goals. Investment fads are nothing new. When selecting strategies for their portfolios, investors are often tempted to seek out the latest and greatest investment opportunities. Over the years, these approaches have sought to capitalize on developments such as the perceived relative strength of particular geographic regions, technological changes in the economy, or the popularity of different natural resources. But long-term investors should be aware that [...]
Self Employed? Set up a SEP and SAVE on Taxes before April!
Self-employed workers have an option for significant retirement savings that is UNDER-UTILIZED, yet so extremely simple. Experts estimate that Americans will need 70 to 90 percent of their preretirement income to maintain their current standard of living when they stop working. It's crucial for the Self-employed to understand the opportunities in a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) Plan. A Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP IRA) is the easiest small business retirement plan to administer and maintain, and helps [...]
2018 Annual Market Review
After logging strong returns in 2017, global equity markets delivered negative returns in US dollar terms in 2018. Common news stories in 2018 included reports on global economic growth, corporate earnings, record low unemployment in the US, the implementation of Brexit, US trade wars with China and other countries, and a flattening US Treasury yield curve. Global equity markets delivered positive returns through September, followed by a decline in the fourth quarter, resulting in a [...]
