When I work with a new client in my financial planning practice, I often come across a condition that I call “financial clutter.” This has many forms, but a common version might look like this: Husband and wife have worked at several jobs and have a number of 401(k) plans left with their former employers. [...]
Since 2003, I have been a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, or NAPFA, which is the largest professional organization of fee-only advisors. Several years ago, NAPFA created a number of small study groups. The group to which I belong has nine members, and all of us are either solo or have [...]
Recently, a friend asked me to look over his mother’s holdings. His mother is in her late 60s, recently divorced, and on her own financially for the first time. She decided to go with the financial advisor rep at her local bank for some free investment help. Because she didn’t pay for any sort of [...]
When I was 18, I decided I needed a tattoo. Very original, I know. But I was determined. A friend of mine and I went to a new tattoo shop in our college town. I had a coupon for 10% from the local Penny Saver-type paper. In my defense, I was a broke college-kid. My [...]
Anyone who drives a car is keenly aware of the swift rise in the price of gas. This is largely a result of political uncertainty in the Middle East. What impact will the increase in oil and gas have on your portfolio? The answer varies. In some cases, you’ll see a direct positive impact on [...]
You probably already have a financial plan in place that includes an asset-allocation strategy. This strategy helps you control your portfolio’s risk via an allocation among different asset classes. However, your portfolio won’t stay within that allocation by itself. Different investments earn different rates of return, and over time your allocation will become unbalanced. Thus, [...]
There are three basic forms of financial adviser compensation: commissions, fee-based, and fee-only. Should the method of compensation make a difference to you? I (who am admittedly biased on the topic) say yes. Let’s examine each method. Commissions are pretty easy to understand. The adviser is compensated when he or she sells you a financial [...]
Over the years, my kids received savings bonds as gifts for various occasions. We held the bonds to maturity and recently turned over the money to the two oldest kids. In both cases, the extra money came in handy. For my oldest, it provided a bit of a cushion between her college graduation and the [...]
There is no single right answer to this question. According to Boston-based attorney Danielle Van Ess, the general rule for reviewing one’s estate-planning documents is every three years. But she adds that, as with anything else, the right time for a review depends on your individual circumstances. Has your situation changed in any of [...]
The recent earthquake in Japan and its aftermath is a tragedy with enormous human consequences. What does it mean for your investments? While nobody can predict the future with any certainty, short-term events—no matter how tragic—generally pass. Japan is a strong economy with the resources to rebuild and to rebound from this event. Oakland, Calif.–based [...]
