Change Is the Only Constant In Life

To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, by failing to plan, you are planning to fail. Your vision of life for you, your family, your friends and community has many facets. Education, health, work, wealth and charity are examples of personal planning issues which require planning. Change is constant and as a result your vision will adjust to […]

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Building a dynamic estate plan

An estate plan—and the will, that can be one of its key components—should be dynamic, not static. As changes occur in your life, they need to be reflected in your estate plan. Are you the same person that you were when you made out your last will? Literally, yes; figuratively, probably not—unless you’ve reviewed your […]

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Choose a Professional

You do not have to look very far to get financial planning and investment advice. In fact, you do not even have to be looking. Television, newspapers, friends, family members and people claiming to be financial professionals provide a steady flow of free, unsolicited financial advice. A financial advisor who urges you to act on […]

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How to choose an investment advisor

Finding a reliable source for investment advice always has been a challenge. It’s especially difficult in today’s investment environment. There’s no shortage of places to turn to for advice. The shelves at bookstores are filled with works from “experts” offering their perspectives as to how, where and when to invest. The Internet and the financial […]

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Intuitive or Analytical

A kid, coming out of the store you are walking into, announces she just bought a candy bar and a stick of gum for $1.10; the candy bar costs $1.00 more than the piece of gum. Question:  How much did the gum cost? We are called on to perform quick calculations and make snap decisions […]

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Special needs trusts

Dear Trust Officer: I have a child with autism, and I’m thinking about the child’s financial future. I’ve heard about special needs trusts, which can provide for financial support without jeopardizing public benefits.  What is the difference between a first-party special needs trust and a third-party special needs trust? —Caring Parent Dear Caring: A “first-party” […]

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The Dog Days

The S&P 500 finished the week at 2,425 and has not traded outside a range bounded by one-percent on either side of that level for the past 6 weeks. The S&P 500 has not had a 5% correction since February 11, 2016, seventeen months ago. Historically, the index has averaged three corrections of 5% or […]

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Keep your family secure with a comprehensive financial plan

Ensuring financial security for yourself and your family comes at a price. We’re not talking about dollars, but what might be commodities just as precious: your time and concentration. When was the last time that you undertook a review of all aspects of your financial life? Like many people, you’ve probably reviewed your portfolio and […]

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Conditions Support Earnings Growth Through 2018

Stephen Auth, Federated Investors’ Chief Investment Officer, Equities, recently confirmed his positive outlook for stocks. The sources of his optimism are: the economic backdrop is solid; credit and liquidity conditions remain good; Washington and the Fed will address the country’s fiscal and monetary problems in the coming months in a manner sufficient to support corporate […]

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