Few terms in personal finance are as important, or used as frequently, as "risk." Nevertheless, few terms are as imprecisely defined. Generally, when financial advisors or the media talk about investment risk, their focus is on the historical price volatility…
Conventional wisdom says that what goes up, must come down. But even if you view market volatility as a normal occurrence, it can be tough to handle when it's your money at stake. Though there's no foolproof way to handle…
Even with all of your savvy college shopping and research about financial aid, college costs may still be prohibitive. At these prices, you expect you'll need to make substantial financial sacrifices to send your child to college. Or maybe your…
After watching the market yo-yo higher and lower in the first 6 months of 2018, it finally gained some traction on the heels of a stronger economy and fantastic earnings announcements. It seemed like every day during earnings season we…
If you converted a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA in 2017 and your Roth IRA has sustained losses, you may want to consider whether it makes sense to undo (recharacterize) your conversion. You have until October 15, 2018, to…
One of the greatest benefits our clients have come to appreciate from us is the different shadow services we provide. While serving as a financial and tax advisor we get to see both sides of our clients personal finances. It…
Over time, the value of your home has grown and your mortgage balance has been reduced (or even eliminated). The equity (the property's value minus any liens against it) you now have in your home is a reservoir of funding potential. You…
At any age, health care is a priority. When you retire, however, you will probably focus more on health care than ever before. Staying healthy is your goal, and this can mean more visits to the doctor for preventive tests…
Looking back on our commentary written in early January we see that the S&P 500 closed at 2,673.61. It now stands at 2,718.37 as of the close of the 2nd quarter – up a whopping 1.7% for the year. It’s…
There are two types of rollovers: direct and indirect. A direct rollover is paid from your plan directly to your IRA or to your new employer’s retirement plan. The funds are never payable to you. An indirect (60-day) rollover is…