The financial services industry has a bad habit of using terms that can seem vague and confusing to clients. There is probably no place where this confusion is greater than how an advisor is compensated. Additionally, the term fiduciary is tossed around by the media quite a bit. However many investors don’t fully understand what […]
The terms financial advisor and broker may seem interchangeable to some investors. Both financial advisors and brokers are financial professionals. The main differences lie in the types of services offered and in the way they are compensated by their clients. What is a Broker? A broker is an individual or firm that acts as an […]
Changing jobs is a time of transition with a lot to do. Getting up-to-speed at your new employer is important and a top priority. When leaving a company, it’s crucial not to forget about your old 401(k) account. What to do with this retirement money is a critical decision to make during this period of […]
Even as the United States and the rest of the world began to emerge from the pandemic, 2022 was a rough year for the U.S. economy and for our financial markets. Stocks suffered their worst loss in over a decade with the S&P 500 Index declining 18.11% for the year. Bonds also suffered steep losses […]
ETFs and mutual funds are the two main types of managed accounts for investors. The IRS tax treatment of ETFs and mutual funds is the same, however, the structure of ETFs can make them a more tax-efficient option for taxable accounts. Let’s take a look at why ETFs are generally more tax-efficient than mutual funds. […]
Charitable giving is a great thing to do regardless of whether or not you are able to realize a tax benefit. However, if you can help others and realize a tax benefit this is a good thing and might even allow you to give a little bit more. Here are some things to know in […]
Medicare is the core component of healthcare coverage for most retirees. Medicare is also misunderstood by many people as they approach age 65. As Medicare open enrollment approaches, here is a brief overview of the basics of Medicare to help increase your understanding of this important program. What is Medicare? Medicare is a federal health […]
Asset location pertains to the types of investment assets that are best held in various types of accounts. Asset location is a tax minimization strategy that matches various types of investments with the type of account best-suited for that type of investment holding. Asset Location Basics Asset location is about strategically holding investments in accounts […]
For many of us, our employer’s 401(k) plan is our primary retirement savings vehicle. Participating in the plan is generally easy and painless. Your contributions are deducted from your paycheck each pay period, there is nothing that you need to do other than select how you want your money invested. Some companies even offer a […]
Saving for retirement is a top financial priority for most people over the course of their working life. In terms of retirement spending, we generally think about the cost of housing, travel, and other activities we’d like to pursue. However, one of the biggest costs in retirement is the cost of healthcare. Fidelity Investments does […]
