ESTATE PLANNING Most people would like to control how their money gets used as they get old and where they would like it to go after they pass away. Those wishes form an individual’s legacy intentions. It’s good to put them down in writing. This is Estate Planning. It’s Step 2 in planning for your […]
INVESTMENT PLANNING One day, you or someone you love may need daily living assistance or monitored medical care. Are you ready for that day? What can you do now to prepare for it? “I never would have imagined it,” says Dean, who is 84 and the father of a friend of mine. “I had a […]
SPECIAL BULLETIN The stock market is always ripe for drama. Last week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average* dropped 127 points on Monday. It sank 500 points early on Tuesday, due to some companies reporting gloomy results, but closed the day down only 126 points. “The market is fragile,” an investment manager told CNN. “But we’re […]
Every year, trustees of the Social Security trust funds issue an annual report. And every year, the media overreact and misreport to the American public what the trustees have to say. Here are a few headlines, which I feel are misleading: “The Social Security Trust Fund Goes Bust” — The Wall Street Journal, June 7, […]
It may surprise you to learn that many economists and politicians believe we should eliminate the penny and nickel from our currency. If you’re like me, you probably have fond memories tied to our smallest denominations. As a kid, I remember buying penny candy from my neighborhood Magic Mart. I appreciated the efficiency of the […]
The past several weeks have seen an increase in the volatility of global stock prices. Even our clients, who are usually very thick-skinned when it comes to stock prices jumping around, have had questions. “What’s going on with the stock market? Should I pull money out now? Should I be worried?” are questions we’ve been […]
Who is Equifax, and why are they in the news? Equifax is one of the leading consumer credit reporting agencies. Earlier this month, they announced a major loss of data. Hackers gaining access to Equifax data have left 143 million consumers vulnerable to identify theft and credit fraud. It’s hard to believe, but with this […]
It’s summer. While this traditionally means kids in their late teens and early twenties are looking forward to weeks of sun and fun, it’s also the time when tens of thousands of young men and women across our country apply for financial aid to attend college. In the mounds of financial information that you’ll […]
In March, the Federal Reserve Board raised interest rates. The increase of one quarter of one percent was only the third time in a decade that rates have gone up. Many economists believe that more increases are coming. The Fed itself has mentioned the possibility of further rate increases this year. There was a time […]
My new partner, Adam Hartrum, and his wife, Bianca, join the firm The next time you come in the doors of Asset Strategies, you’ll have more smiling faces to greet you — and a greater depth of experience to care for your wealth management needs. That’s because Adam Hartrum has joined our firm. Please join […]