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Monday, March 19, 2018

As advisors, we are constantly seeking ways to better diversify and increase the return of our portfolios. In addition, we need to be knowledgeable about the many different investment products, so we can provide the best advice for our...

 

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

We’ve had some big swings in the market over the last few weeks. Because of this, many of our clients are asking for a sanity check. “Why is the Dow moving so violently in the matter of hours?” “I don’t...

 

Monday, January 15, 2018

Sometimes the things you learn aren’t always true. Here are 8 things even experienced investors don’t get right. 1. The Dow isn’t “the market” The Dow Jones Industrial Average, or simply the “Dow...

 

Monday, January 8, 2018

This time of year, we reflect on 2017 and set goals for 2018. One of those goals should be determining how much I should be contributing to my savings plans (like IRAs, 401(k)s, and HSAs). To help, here are the contribution limits for...

 

Monday, January 1, 2018

What a huge question. Is there a right or wrong expectation? Should they just give me ideas or even commands about financial decisions? Can I just hire them and they take care of everything? Should I just assume each advisor charges...

 

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Monday, December 4, 2017

The exponential rise in the Bitcoin to US Dollar exchange rate has certainly drawn quite a bit of attention, as headlines touting yearly gains of over 1000% are certainly eye-catching. Or looking back further, it’s fun to pretend...

 

Monday, October 23, 2017

As you accumulate assets inside a traditional IRA you do not pay any taxes until you start taking withdrawals. Any amount that comes out of a traditional IRA is a taxable event for both federal and state income taxes. Beyond some...

 

Monday, October 2, 2017

Emotions can play a powerful, often dangerous role in the arena of investing. How many times have you seen an emotionally charged ad or promotion talking about investing: The stock market will crash any day now, get your returns while...

 

Monday, October 2, 2017

History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. The market goes up, then down, then back up again, with the financial media marking every step of the way. So, how do we know when to invest when the headlines make it seem...

 

Monday, September 25, 2017

I am often asked the question, “Should I invest it all or just a little bit at a time?” As with most questions in the investing world, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. There are different factors to consider. When it...

 

Monday, September 25, 2017

A qualified charitable deduction (QCD) is an allowed distribution from an IRA account to a charity without any taxable event to the IRA owner. [For example, let’s say an IRA owner has an RMD in the amount of $20,000. If the owner...

 

Monday, September 18, 2017

Inflation is a phenomenon that has been observed as early as the Roman Empire. As an investor, inflation feels like a penalty for saving. Every dollar you save is worth less in the future. What the heck!? However, inflation is not...

 

Monday, September 4, 2017

The third quarter will soon come to a close, but there is still time to get a SIMPLE IRA plan established and funded before the year closes out. Let’s take a look at which employers are eligible to set up a SIMPLE IRA. Rules for...

 

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

A Nigerian prince wants to give you $13,000,000! You receive an email: it’s from a Nigerian prince who happened to inherit a large sum of money in excess of $100M. He cannot personally transfer the funds outside of his country...

 

Thursday, April 6, 2017

I spend a lot of time reading financial articles and blogs. One theme you can find all over the internet is "low-cost investments." Google it and see what I mean. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of articles and blog posts about...

 

Friday, March 17, 2017

Hawks and Doves If you have been following the drama of the Fed and interest rates, you may have heard someone referred to as a dove or hawk. Sometimes, a reporter may say that the Fed spokesperson made dovish/hawkish statements today...

 

Monday, February 27, 2017

What is Small Cap Value? Investments can be split into four basic quadrants known as styles (Figure 1). These styles correspond to a company’s size (small cap vs. large cap) and a company’s financials (value vs. growth)....

 

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Roth IRAs are often touted as a great retirement planning tool. But what do they really do for you? And how do you invest in one? Roth IRAs are not a specific investment or fund, but instead a type of account. The specific investment...

 

Monday, February 13, 2017

For many investors, the business cycle is a tool used to help build an allocation that will outperform during certain phases of the cycle. By analyzing an economy’s phase in the business cycle the investor hopes to anticipate...

 

Monday, February 6, 2017

Introduction:

 

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Are you and your financial advisor effectively maxing out your Retirement Plan? Every year, we have clients that ask if there is anything else they can do to maximize what is going into their Retirement Plans. Here are two ideas that...

 

Monday, December 5, 2016

How much can I spend during my retirement? How do I manage risk in my portfolio in order to meet my goals? These are tricky questions with a lot of variables that need to be considered. To answer these questions, it may be helpful to...

 

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

I was in a conference the first time I heard someone say it: "there's a 0% chance a 60/40 portfolio will make 5% or more in the next decade." Pretty bold claim…but this advisor isn't the only one saying it. In fact, if you just...

 

Monday, November 14, 2016

WHAT IS A FIDUCIARY? Is your financial advisor a fiduciary? With the Department of Labor coming out with rules that affect nearly every retirement account, many people are asking questions like, “What is a fiduciary?”

 

Monday, November 7, 2016

First of all we need to define, what exactly duration is, and how it impacts bond pricing. Duration is expressed in years, and measures the sensitivity of bond’s interest rates. So, in short, if you have a bond portfolio with...

 

Thursday, September 15, 2016

That’s not just because we’re too busy or refuse to think about such things. It’s more a result of having found our identity. Work, family, friends, hobbies – all of these help define who and what we are. But...

 

Thursday, September 1, 2016

The other day, a business associate quizzed me on the biggest financial challenge in retirement. “Tom,” he said, “you’re always saying that saving enough isn’t the most difficult challenge when it comes...

 

Monday, August 15, 2016

The other day I was speaking with the owner of a video recording studio – let’s call him Dennis – who was very keen on retiring. We talked about his goals and made sure he was on track with his investments. Then I...

 

Friday, July 1, 2016

I want you to imagine the following scenario: Suppose you suddenly had to leave your job and move to a new city. You know the layout of the city, but you don’t know anyone there. No friends, no co-workers, no contacts other than...

 

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

If you have seen the news lately, you have almost certainly heard of Brexit, or Britain’s referendum last week, resulting in the surprising vote to separate from the European Union (EU). Glancing at the headlines, and looking at...

 

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Wealth Management and Financial Planning is one, big game of "contingency planning." What I mean by that is my role as your advisor is to continually ask the question "what if?" in all facets of your life, considering both positive and...

 

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Business owners are all too familiar with the need to be tax-efficient in order to maintain their profit margins. The same goes for retirement income. Nothing is more infuriating than setting aside a sizable nest egg, built on years...

 

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

I was introduced to some new clients recently, and the husband and wife asked what it is that we do at MSMF. My answer was simple. I smiled and said "we provide 'Solutions for a Happy Life'." The husband looked at me with a confused...

 

Sunday, May 1, 2016

When media coverage of presidential primaries ramps up, I start getting many similar questions from clients: What impact will the election have on markets? What happens if candidate A wins? Will the market tank? Will there be new...

 

Friday, April 15, 2016

The Department of Labor has issued sweeping new regulation on the advisor community with the stated intent to protect you, which unfortunately, in my opinion, may hurt you more than it helps you. Much like the Affordable Care Act (i.e....

 

Friday, April 1, 2016

Health issues are oftentimes unexpected and hard on everyone involved. In addition, these issues can be costly and erode your accumulated wealth. You can perform all the “financial analysis” in the world, but those plans...

 

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

The title here is a bit of a trick question, of course. No one is going to give you money for your retirement! So why did we ask? We like to pose this question because it gets people thinking about their priorities when it comes to...

 

Monday, February 1, 2016

When considering retirement, most people think about two numbers: the age at which they can retire, and the amount of “nest egg” they will need when that day arrives. But retiring successfully is more than just meeting a...

 

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Most small-business owners know what they want to happen when they retire. However, because of misunderstanding or maybe just not getting around to it, many do not have a complete and up-to-date written succession plan. In fact, a...

 

Sunday, November 1, 2015

The success of the 401(k) plan is important for small businesses. Plan sponsors have been encouraged – especially in the last few years – to understand their fiduciary responsibilities and plan costs. While this is...

 

Friday, October 2, 2015

If you’re a small-business owner who has watched your company grow over the years, you probably have dreams of retiring on your dividends or maybe cashing out. But your business, no matter how successful, is not the same thing...