February 2019

Why You Should Always Ask ‘Who Is Writing The Check?’

“Everywhere there’s a large commission, there’s a high probability of a rip-off.” Charlie Munger Brokers work for whoever is cutting them a check. This iron law of finance is indisputable. Selling health insurance plans serves as Hiroshima to the Nagasaki of broker-pushed financial products; these are the twin ground zeros for financial exploitation. NPR recently disclosed conflicts…

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

Warren Buffet bought his first stock when he was 11. The main reason why he is so rich. The good news is even if you begin much later, you can still achieve your goals. Start right now by reading this week’s terrific links. Financial industry lobbyists spend a ton of money to deplete your retirement account with…

Serving Those Who Serve

We love helping young people with their finances. When they’re military veterans, all the better. Our North Star is serving those who serve. Nurses, police, firefighters, and an army of teachers top the list. We had the pleasure of meeting a terrific young couple; Marine Corps veterans who were looking for fiduciary advice but were…

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

President’s week edition- Our Chief Executive has plenty or retirement perks. You don’t. Read this week’s awesome links to give yourself an edge. It’s impossible to eliminate all risk in your retirement plan. The Irrelevant Investor Here’s how to make retirement more romantic. MarketWatch Older American are cheated out of almost $3 billion a year….

Sometimes the Turkeys Shoot Back

“Good laws make it easier to do right and harder to do wrong.” William Gladstone Financial predators posing as investment advisors prowl New York State with little oversight. This might change – sooner rather than later. The NY State Assembly proposed Bill A2476 – aka The Investment Transparency Act. While not perfect, it should put a…

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

Even with his marriage issues, Jeff Bezos has no worries regarding retirement – You might. Start alleviating them by reading this week’s terrific links.   Here is the average 401(k) balance by age. Tampa Bay Times Think about these factors before signing up for a reverse mortgage in retirement. The Simple Dollar Even God can’t…

Hitler’s Bankers

Wall Street helped the Allies finance their World War ll triumph.  As usual, they hedged their bets. J.P. Morgan assisted Germany’s rebuilding after The Great War. Morgan’s Thomas Lamont spearheaded the renegotiation of reparation payments and organized other Wall Street banks to bail Germany out with loans. It didn’t stop there. Along with other New York bankers, Lamont…

Teaching Teachers To Change the World

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” If teachers don’t understand why having an expensive annuity in their 403(b) is a horrific idea, how can we expect them to teach our kids about money? We may have found…

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

It’s estimated $5.42 Billion was wagered on the most recent Super Bowl. Imagine if that money went into people’s retirement accounts instead? Start making better decisions by reading this week’s terrific links. People tend to choose their retirement investments by funds at the top of the alphabetic lists. MarketWatch People will always fall for getting rich quick…