Much has been written about when the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee will raise interest rates. At its July 28 and 29 meeting, or later? Many want to know, What will a rate increase mean for stocks? If a rate increase is on the horizon, what should an investor do today? How will stocks react? […]
It’s tempting to compare your investment performance with others. In doing so, you may find that some of your friends and family members have had good experiences in working with financial advisors, whereas others have not. Often, those who say they’re unsatisfied with their advisors tend to focus on portfolio returns as a key measure. […]
Comedian Larry Sherman* says a lot of things came to him late in life. He began doing standup in his 60s. He was 40 when he married — 42 when his daughter was born. “At this point in life,” Larry says, “my baby girl is happy to see me walking.” Ba-dum-bum! Ching! Time for his […]
Likely, the biggest life-changing event you’ll ever face is the death of your spouse. In addition to the deep emotional wounds that such a loss brings, financial matters must be tended to. It may seem harsh to address finances at such a time, but it needs to be done in order to carry on. The […]
It seems that we live in a society beset by fear. I don’t know why that is and I wish it wasn’t the case, but it’s hard not to notice the constant drum beat of negative news day after day. So, let’s try to put the news in perspective. Recently, the markets took a tumble. […]
Have you been putting off estate planning? I know you know it’s important so this month I’ve decided to peek at the estates of Robin Williams, Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando. There are a number of lessons we can learn. Robin Williams Robin Williams was a comic genius who won four Golden Globes, two Emmys […]
Clients know I love Formula One racing. They also know I believe it’s important to have a smart wealth management plan and to stick to it. So, there’s the tie-in between Finance and Formula One: Set one’s course; stay on track. And speaking of tracks, let’s talk about three of the classics. The 2014 F1 […]
Global news stories come at us with some regularity. Recent examples are the developing events in Ukraine and Iraq. When international tensions grow into major flash points and conflicts, it’s only natural for investors to wonder if they should do something to protect their stock and bond investments. Should you sell some stock, reduce your […]
There’s an old adage that says nothing is as constant as change. All we have to do to prove that is look around. Ten or 15 years ago, you’d talk to a person when you phoned a company. Now, you use your phone to navigate through an automated service menu, interacting with a computer (except […]
Most bond investors know that there is an inverse relationship between their bond investments and interest rates. When rates drop, the value of bonds tends to rise. And vice versa. And as most people also know, for the past few years the Federal Reserve has kept interest rates artificially low in order to stimulate the […]