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 […]

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 […]

Retirement is a common investing goal for many people. How you invest both while saving for retirement and once you are retired is important and can have a big impact on your financial security in retirement.  Here are some retirement investment mistakes to avoid.  Saving and Investing for Retirement – the Accumulation Phase  While you […]

Recent changes in the geopolitical environment have warranted changes to our portfolios. As the deeply disturbing war in Ukraine continues to develop, we are observing the potential impact on the stock, bond, and commodity markets across various sectors and regions.  We have decided to reposition the portfolios to adapt to the escalating conflict in Eastern […]

Estate planning is the process of ensuring that your assets are properly distributed to your heirs upon your death and designating who will handle your affairs should you become incapacitated. Estate planning is important for all of us, not just the ultra-wealthy. Here are some estate planning basics to consider.  Take inventory of your assets  […]

Even as the pandemic continued in the United States and around the world, 2021 was another strong year for the markets, though returns varied a bit across various market segments. The S&P 500 index gained 28.7% in 2021 as large cap stocks had another strong year. The index set numerous new highs during the year. […]

Retirement is a transition in many ways. Your daily routine no longer centers around work. Retirement also represents a time of financial transition as well.  During your working years your focus is generally on accumulating money for retirement. This means contributing to your 401(k), IRAs, taxable investment accounts and others. Your investment strategy may also […]

Asset allocation is an investment strategy that adjusts the percentage of each holding in an investment portfolio according to the investor's risk tolerance, goals and investment time frame.  One famous industry study indicated that over 90% of the return from an investment portfolio was attributable to the portfolio’s asset allocation. While some have questioned whether […]