Anthony Isola

Don’t Listen To Market Hecklers

Investors pay too much attention to things that mean too little. College athletes could teach them something about blocking out distractions. Before a 1997 Penn State vs. Minnesota football game, a Nittany Lion’s fan mercilessly heckled Minnesota’s kicker, Adam Bailey. Happy Gilmore was a popular movie during this period. The heckler spewed lines from one of…

It’s Tuesday Again…..When Is My Retirement?

Memorial Day Weekend is a time for gratitude and reflection. Many veterans were denied the chance to plan for their retirement. If you are reading this, you weren’t. Stop making excuses and get to work. What happens after you leave money to your heirs is what’s important. Next Avenue Planning for retirement should begin in…

Double Intense Carnage

“I hope to God I know what I am doing.” – General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander Meticulous planning and a good deal of luck are two of the most important ingredients for success. Like the old saying goes, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” This is true in creating a financial…

Dream Hoarding Is the Ultimate Alternative Investment

Investors get what they DON’T pay for. Products like hedge funds, non-traded REITs and private equity are usually inferior to simple index funds. Expensive products ARE a decided advantage in the college application industry. According to Doree Lewak, “An increasingly common tactic is getting kids extra time on the ACTs and SATs because of a psychological…

Retirement Pyramid 2.0

Last week I created a  semi-barbaric version of The Retirement Pyramid. Some constructive criticism included, “use a pen” and “stop dotting your eyes like a little girl.” I have lots of creative ideas but my fine motor skills are severely lacking. https://twitter.com/ReformedBroker/status/997917497474109440   A reader who calls herself Sequentialkady came to the rescue on Friday. She added…

It’s Monday Again…..When Is My Retirement?

Prince Harry doesn’t have to worry about financing his retirement but you do. Relieve the stress by reading our weekly retirement links. Too many choices in your retirement plan is a really bad thing. Forbes Even if you max out your 401(k) you can still mess things up. MarketWatch Oregon’s auto- IRA plan is off…

The Retirement Pyramid

Imagine if Americans had a retirement pyramid on their refrigerator.  We would all be wealthier and healthier. Sadly, we have a food pyramid (which most of us ignore) but no evidence-based guidelines for our retirements. According to  The Wall Street Journal, an astounding 80 million Americans are in debt collection and 50% of retirement workers have…

Will Advisors Ever Heal Themselves?

The financial services industry is facing a tipping point.  People desperately need unbiased fiduciary advice, yet the industry feeds them commission-laden products. Something has got to give. The industry’s moment of truth has arrived; not much different from the medical industry more than a century ago. 150 years ago, we faced an epidemic of overprescribed painkillers….

It’s Monday Again…..When Is My Retirement?

Happy Mother’s Day to all. Read our links and learn how to spend more time with the people that mean the most. Some small business owners are able to sock away up to $61k annually with this plan. Kiplinger It’s usually a bad idea to put your retirement funds in a friend’s business. MarketWatch Women would…

Our House, Our Rules

Investing is difficult for most people. This doesn’t mean they aren’t smart, successful, or nice.  Nobody ever taught them. Emotions and commission-hungry financial salespeople fill the vacuum. Experience verifies this point.  We see the worst of the worst on a daily basis; don’t take our word for it, look at the data. Many advisors foolishly let clients…