I have heard this so many times it would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. One of the selling points that commissioned based financial planners tell their prospects is that they don’t have to pay anything to work with them. Sorry, but nobody works for free, and the notion that you can get sound objective financial advice for nothing is ridiculous.
Read MoreIt contains great information and tips on what to avoid if you you are getting a mortgage anytime soon.
Read MoreBelow are some useful updates to retirement account contribution limits and other useful tax numbers. Also, now is time to start thinking about your 2013 IRA contribution if you have not already done so. This is an easy deduction and a great way to save for retirement.
Read MoreFINRA, the regulatory authority overseeing broker/dealer community, unveiled a new version of Broker/Check. This is a database which keeps track of work history and disciplinary actions of the broker/dealers that it oversees.
Read MoreWhen comparing different ETFs and mutual funds most investors only look at the expense ratio. While this is a good starting point there are other factors in play that should be considered as well. Bid/Ask spread, transaction costs (commissions),
Read MoreThis guide is for the DIY Investment Manager. It will get you off to a good start for your financial planning. We created it for the individuals who are not quite ready to engage a financial planner but still know they have to get started in order to have a successful retirement. This may be all you need but if you find that you still need some extra help, please feel free to reach out to us.
Read MoreThere are many different ways to save for retirement. In the below article I will outline four IRAs or Individual Retirement Accounts that you can consider for your personal retirement savings. I have included a chart to help with your decision.
Read MoreI saw this report on Nerd Wallet, a personal finance website, earlier today and it's not good news for Millenials. The cost of student loan debt is pushing the average retirement age to 73. This compares to the current average retirement age of 60 - 13 years later! I thought the standard of living was supposed to increase over time?
Read MoreThinkAdvisor highlights the five best and five worst states from a Kiplinger study on the tax environment for retirees. And guess what...we are number 2 on the worst list. Although this is probably not a surprise for most Minnesotan's it is still not fun to see.
Read MoreEstate Planning is one of those subjects that most people are aware of even though they don't necessarily know how it works or if they need it. Below I will give an outline to help you better understand if your personal situation requires estate planning.
Read MoreThe Cost of your addiction: Coffee Cost Calculator
Read MoreThis is one of the great tragedies of a bear market. It happens every time. And my guess is even more people were affected in the most recent bear market because the decline was so dramatic.
Read MoreWhat applies to real estate also applies to tax management: It's location, location, location.
Read MoreI don't usually agree with Paul Krugman's economic and political analysis but this time I think he is worth listening to.
Read MoreThere has been a lot of talk about a bond bubble recently and with the below chart (complements of Société Générale) it is easy to see why. Bonds have an inverse relationship with interest rates, which means if interest rates go up, bond prices go down.
Read MoreSomethings are better seen then read. I found this infographic over at DailyInfoGraphic.com by Michaela Lacy. It shows what I have mentioned in this blog multiple times, which is that active management cannot consistently beat the market, and below are some good statistics that support this argument.
Read MoreBelow is a quick guide to 401(k) plan rollover options and the pros and cons of each.
Read MoreThese three economists shared the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2013.
Read MoreIn this Blog post I will share some of the funds that we currently use in our own practice and that I personally hold in in my own portfolio.
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