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 […]
Read MoreSpecial 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” […]
Read MoreThe 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 […]
Read MoreKeep 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 […]
Read MoreConditions 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 […]
Read MoreRetirement “facts” that may be fiction
There are enough books and other forms of guidance about retirement that one would expect to find all the advice necessary to secure a comfortable retirement. But not all of the advice and strategies necessarily will meet your needs. What’s more, there may be “facts” about retirement and retirement planning that have been conventional wisdom […]
Read MoreThe Highest Standard Under the Law
Some financial service providers are struggling to comply with the Department of Labor’s new Fiduciary Rule. The rule requires any financial services professional who provides retirement planning advice to raise their standard of operation to one of a fiduciary. The introduction of the rule created a good deal of turmoil among many in the traditional […]
Read MoreWhat is a “fiduciary”?
You might get investment advice from any of the following sources: a financial planner a financial consultant a financial advisor an investment advisor an investment representative a stock broker a wealth manager an insurance agent a relative a bank trust officer Which of these sources will owe a fiduciary duty to his or her clients? […]
Read MorePopularity Contests
Owning shares of stock is being part owner of a business. As part owner of a publicly traded corporation, your share of the company may be a tiny fraction of the whole but you are nevertheless part owner of the assets, revenues and earnings of the company. You own a portion of everything the corporation […]
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