Pretty much everywhere we go now, we have access to free WiFi. We have it in malls, grocery stores, hotels, place of employment, doctor’s offices, even our cars can be rolling hot spots. With my mind on my money and my money on my mind, I thought, wouldn’t it be nice if I could ReFi my mortgage for free! With that, let’s take a look at the largest debt on...
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July 31, 2014 – the Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 317 points as nervous “investors” warily contemplate disappointing employment numbers, rising tensions in the Ukraine and in the Middle East, an Ebola outbreak in Africa and, well, probably countless other worrisome economic or geo-political issues. Media reports shout the news that this one-day drop wipes out the Dow’s gains for the entire year. Did you happen to hear anyone mention that...
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Are you talking to your children or grandchildren about saving and spending habits? According to a recent study done by TIAA-CREF, chances are you’re not talking to them as much as you could be. The study looked at grandparents and grandchildren and found that only 8 percent of grandparents are talking with their grandchildren about saving for college and spending habits, while 85% of those young adults say they are...
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If you are uncertain, let us give you a second opinion. https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnwasik/2014/07/23/do-you-have-the-best-or-worst-401k-plan/ Just don’t forget to stay diversified. ...
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Like a lot of people growing up in rural Iowa, I did not play soccer nor do I know much about it. Given my lack of soccer knowledge, I was surprised at how excited I was watching the U.S. soccer team work their way through the group stage of the World Cup and into the “Round of 16” - terminology I did not know a month ago. I watched some of every...
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There is an inverse relationship between fund expenses and returns. In short, costs matter. Nobel Laureate Dr. William Sharpe points to this in his landmark article, “The Arithmetic of Active Management,” in which he asserts simply:
“If active and passive management styles are defined in sensible ways, it must be the case that (1) before costs, the return on the average actively managed dollar will equal the... Read More
Has anyone ever asked you, “Hey, what do you think of Crossfit?” Crossfit is a popular fitness program that involves many types of exercises, including a form of powerlifting. In a recent conversation I had with a friend, they commented that Chiropractors love Crossfit because it provides them with so much business! Very similar to Orthopaedics loving 40 plus year olds that still play competitive basketball! The challenge is that...
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NBC News recently reported that “Americans are giving more to charitable causes than ever before…Total giving by individuals, companies and foundations hit a record $335.17 billion last year, driven mainly by wealthy individuals, according to the annual report from Giving USA Foundation and the Indiana University Lilly Family School.” This is encouraging for a country that possesses a large portion of the world’s wealth. We are a nation tremendously...
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Industry data suggests we are nearing the largest generational transfer of wealth in our nation’s history. Somewhere in the range of $10-$12 trillion (that’s trillion with a “T”) will be changing hands among family, friends, charities and institutions over the next decade. The subsequent transfer of wealth for the following generation could be in the neighborhood of $30 trillion (an even bigger “T”) with resources leaving the baby...
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The latest issue of Investment News I pulled from my mailbox included the headline, “Clients Warily Turn to Stocks”. Nothing new, same sad story of folks who have continued to avoid market exposure and thus significant growth and/or recovery in their portfolio. What really caught my attention was the sub-headline: “Unloved bull market has advisers thinking the time is right to put clients’ cash to work.” What? Talk about a...
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