1. Retirement Savings(401k, IRA’s, etc.) 2. Credit Card Debt(Your current credit card balances and the interest rate you pay) 3. Emergency Fund( What you have in your savings account that you do not use to pay bills.) You have to at least have an idea what these numbers are before you begin planning your…
January 2014
The horrific returns of the average investor
The numbers do not lie. This is the result of three things: 1. Buying high and selling low 2. Not Diversifying (How did that Gold portfolio work this year/) 3. Leaving all of your money in cash. Be honest and evaluate yourself. If you are guilty of one of these three wealth destroyers.. CHANGE!!
“Don’t be like The Wolf of Wall Street”-Leonardo DiCaprio
Maybe you should have thought of this before you made the movie. Oliver Stone felt the same way about Gordon Gekko when he filmed Wall Street. He did not realize he created the motivating character for the Jordan Belforts of the world. In investing this is called unintended consequences. Like they say those who do…
What is a safe amount to withdraw from your retirement account?
Most would agree 4% is a good rule of thumb. If your money is properly diversified this amount should keep you from running out of money. A little trick to get the most out of this is to withdraw a little more when the market is very positive and withdraw less during negative years. For…
Do you have any of these 7 warning signs of financial trouble?
Not opening your bills is a huge one…. http://www.dailyworth.com/posts/2314-7-financial-red-flags/1
Five reasons you should try to file your taxes early
Check these out. I did not realize it could help cut down the chances of identity theft. Some pretty good stuff here.. http://money.msn.com/tax-tips/post–5-reasons-to-file-your-taxes-early
Who were the rich and famous that were scammed by Bernie Madoff?
Take a look at the list. These people are all pretty bright. Unfortunately they lacked financial literacy and paid a devastating price. The promise of 10% a year risk free returns is an illusion. They all fell for it. http://www.bankrate.com/finance/investing/celebrities-scammed-by-madoff-1.aspx
What five cars will depreciate the most in value soon after purchase?
Cars are a depreciating asset. Making a large investment and borrowing money to purchase one is a guaranteed money loser. Safe and reliable will do. Everything else is wealth destroyer. http://www.bankrate.com/finance/auto/car-depreciation-models-lose-value-1.aspx
How much can you save by getting rid of cable?
A ton!! Take a look at this cool calculator to help you figure it out! http://www.marketwatch.com/story/heres-what-youll-save-by-ditching-cable-tv-2013-12-11
10 simple New Year’s resolutions to increase your wealth in 2014
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/10-financial-resolutions-you-can-actually-keep/2013/12/27/8fb431d4-6c0f-11e3-a523-fe73f0ff6b8d_story.html It is essential you put many of your financial decisions on auto-pilot. The less complicated, the less that can go wrong. Stick to the plan through thick and thin and you will be amazed at the results. Simple systems are the key. Start today and you can begin to change your life.