Anthony Isola

Exit Light, Enter Night — We’re Off to 403(b) Land

“Sleep with one eye open gripping your pillow tight.”– Metallica Ruthless predators in disguise are raiding the retirement accounts of public school teachers. Just like wildlife lurking in the rain forest on the banks of the Amazon River, they manipulate their environment to consume unsuspecting prey. In the words of some other famous head-bangers, welcome to…

Many Investors Have a Contradiction-Addiction

  Most investors are a walking contradiction. You cannot love both Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump; root for both the Yankees and the Red Sox; nor can you put grated cheese on linguine with clam sauce (shout out for all you hardcore Italians out there). Some things just cannot go together. Don’t tell this to investors. Their belief…

Teach Your Daughters to Fish

Dina here … In spite of the fact that women lead men in attaining higher education degrees, when it comes to money-smarts, they are falling short. Clearly, raising financially savvy, independent daughters is more about experiences than test-taking.  Make sure that you are encouraging your daughters to think in empowering ways so they will have the…

The Ultimate Alternative Investment: Happiness

What is the point of accumulating financial assets if they don’t make you and those around you happy?  Though our nation’s total net worth has never been higher, our individual levels of anxiety are moving in the opposite direction. Real financial planning is so much more than pontificating about the benefits of a low-cost, globally diversified…

Reverse Compounding Fuels Racial Inequality

In 2013, the net worth of white households was an astonishing 13 times greater than their African-American counterparts. If our nation is to achieve its full economic growth potential, something has to be done about this, and fast. One of the biggest reasons for this gaping chasm is a lack of basic financial knowledge by…

The Case for Early Inheritance

Who says you have to die to let your loved ones enjoy the fruits of your labor? Most studies show people are much happier giving than receiving. Why should the largest giving event of your lifetime happen when you are not around to enjoy it? Recently, my wife and I decided to send our twin…

Congress’s Blitzkrieg on our Retirement Savings

  Congress is about to declare war on the average American struggling to save for retirement. The ineptitude of Congress has no limits. Just when you thought they have reached maximum density regarding incompetence and stupidity, think again. For those who have not been paying attention, here are some of the issues Americans are facing regarding…

Bargain Hunter’s Delight

Dina here … It’s a great paradox of life that people will clip coupons, or drive out of their way to save $5 at a sale and yet, when it comes to their personal finances, they ignore the chance to save thousands of dollars. This opportunity is real: it is the employer-sponsored retirement plan.  Click…

Learning to Learn: The Ultimate Survival Tool

The way most people have been taught to learn is outdated and dangerous. The modern world requires people to frequently reinvent themselves in order to survive and thrive. Sadly, too few have the most important skill to accomplish this: the ability to learn how to learn. Many are taught in the most horrific way possible: the…

Barron’s Is Pushing a Very Expensive Happy Meal

  Institutional investors now have the opportunity “to hire the best.” If this turns out like Barron’s list of “Top Financial Advisors” for retail investors, institutional investors should run for the hills. Like its “pay to play” sibling, this list is designed to generate more revenue for the magazine rather than look out for the…