Want Higher Yields on your Savings Accounts? Go Online
According to bankrate.com, the average savings account earns a disappointing 0.06%. But many online savings accounts are paying closer to 1% which is over 10 times the national average. That might not sound like much to get excited about, but …
Duration Risk: What Bond Investors May Not Know
As Mike Booker mentioned in the Q4 newsletter, we think bonds still deserve a place in most portfolios. After all, bonds are ultimately one of the greatest diversifiers an investor can own. Historically, conservative investors have allocated large percentages of …
Low for Longer: A More Active Approach to Fixed Income
“Low for Longer” is Blackrock’s investment theme heading in to 2014. The Low for Longer tag line is their way of expressing a forecast of tepid economic growth, easy monetary policy and, consequently, low interest rates. Investment catchphrases such as …
Is Now a Good Time to Start Investing?
“Is now a good time to start investing?” It’s a simple question, but it’s almost impossible to answer because it requires a market prediction. Most people agree that trying to predict the market is impossible, but it’s human nature to …
Take a Stand for What You Believe In
Aaron Tippin is a country music artist that rose to fame in the early 1990’s. I was a teenager when his debut single was released, “You’ve Got To Stand For Something”. It became a popular anthem for Americans as we …
What Diversification Really Is (And What It’s Not)
Over the years I’ve come to realize that diversification can mean different things to different people. Most financial advisors preach diversification, but I’m often astonished by the allocation strategies that pass for “diversification” in the financial planning industry. Diversification is …
84-year-old Florida Widow Wins $590 Million Lottery
Last week the world learned that 84-year-old Gloria MacKenzie was the sole winner of the $590 million Powerball jackpot. This makes her one of the biggest winners in lottery history. The widowed great-grandmother chose to receive her winnings as a …
Breaking Free from the 401(k) Trap
401(k) plans are a great way to save money for retirement, but they don’t always have the best investment options available within the plan. Employees are generally limited to a list of 10 or 12 mutual funds and are unable …
Education Planning: From the ABCs to Princeton University
Sir John Templeton, the father of international investing, once said, “Among the four most dangerous words in investing are ‘it’s different this time.’” With the continuation of a lackluster economic recovery and so much congestion in Washington these days, it …
