Filial Support Laws
Ever hear of “filial piety”? How about “filial support”? Some attorneys and retirement planners are wondering if more nursing homes will use these laws to force adult children to pay their parents’ long term care bills...
What Happened to "Sell in May"??
An old belief has lingered on Wall Street for years – the belief that investors should get out of stocks in May and get back into stocks in October. But here we are in May – and while...
5/20/13 Weekly Economic Video Update
3 More Positive Signs for the Economy, Subdued Inflation, Bulls Keep Running, other headlines...
7 Retirement Assumptions to Reassess
What makes financial sense for some may not make sense for you.
5/13/2013 Weekly Economic Video Update
A look at earnings season, what the Fed is doing to ramp up financial scrutiny, more...
When Will the Easing End?
In its May 1 policy announcement, the Federal Reserve reaffirmed its commitment to its current stimulus campaign, or QE3 – its monthly purchase of $85 billion in bonds.
QE3 has undeniably boosted the stock market and assisted the real estate recovery. Yet at some point, the Fed will decide to let the economy stand on its own and stop its aggressive easing of monetary policy. Wall Street is beginning to wonder how and when that will occur.
Setting Up Your Estate to Avoid Probate
Probate subtly reduces the value of many estates. It can take more than a year in some cases, and attorney’s fees, appraiser’s fees and court costs may eat up as much as 5% of a decedent’s accumulated assets. Think tens of thousands of dollars, perhaps more. So how you can exempt more of your assets from probate and its costs? Here are some ideas.
4/29/13 Weekly Economic Video Update
Here is this weeks update - take just a few minutes to stay up-to-date...
Ways the Middle Class Can Make a Difference for Charity
If you’re not yet a millionaire or simply a “millionaire next door,” yet want to give, consider the following options which may bring you immediate or future tax deductions.
How LTC Insurance Can Help Protect Your Assets
As baby boomers leave their careers behind, long term care insurance will become very important in their financial strategies. The reasons to get an LTC policy after age 50 are very compelling.
Bonds & Interest Rates (April 2013)
Is the bond bull history? Bond titan Bill Gross called an end to the 30-year bull market in fixed income back in 2010, and he has repeated his opinion since. Legendary investor Jim Rogers predicted an end to the bond bull in 2009, and he still sees it happening. This belief is starting to become popular...
Gold's Big Plunge
On April 12, the precious metal settled at $1,501.40 on the COMEX – diving 4.1% in a single trading day and 20.5% under its all-time closing high of $1,888.70 on August 22, 2011. Statistically, that was the end of a lengthy bull market – one marked by 12 years of annual gains.
4/22/2013 Weekly Video Update
A quick summary of last week's economic events and some items to watch for this week.
Merits of Fee-Based Management
I want to let you know about five key reasons why fee-based management has great merit and why I've transitioned many of my clients to it.
Living Trusts - Fact vs. Fiction
Living trusts are created with a clearly defined objective: to avoid probate. Misconceptions about living trusts have spread to the point where people think they can accomplish much more than they really do. Here is a realistic assessment of living trusts.
A Primer for Estate Planning
No matter what your age, here are some things you may want to accomplish this year with regard to estate planning.
Can Stocks Advance Further Without a Weak Dollar?
In recent years, stock market gains have been associated with a weak dollar (among other factors). This latest rally on Wall Street seems to be an exception: years of dollar weakness may be giving way to renewed foreign investment in U.S. currency, spurred by global belief that things are getting better in America.
Mistakes Families Make with 529 College Plans
Most families that start 529 college savings plans have done their “homework” about these programs. Missteps are made, though, often with the distribution of 529 plan assets...