On the heels of a rough end to 2018, we’ve seen the largest increase in the S&P 500 to start the year since 1997. The chart below from Charlie Bilello details the other top 10 first 127 trading days of the year since 1928. And before your eyes drift to the red, remember that you’re
Author: Justin Smith
Knowing full well that financial planning is about far more than numbers, Justin loves to help clients walk through both the routine and the significant decisions in life. While he could have been perfectly happy with a career as a mathematician or counselor; he is delighted to get to be both...often within the same meeting or even sentence. Justin thrives on being able to transform complex financial and relational issues into practical plans and clear action steps.
Should I Invest a Lump Sum Today, Tomorrow, or Over Time?
This year we’ve been working through an unusually high number of lump sum investing scenarios with clients. No one has won the lottery or discovered a long-lost rich uncle who left them an inheritance. Rather, what we’ve encountered falls into two categories: a) an influx of cash (sale of a business, receipt of deferred compensation,
What’s A Little Money Between Family?
We often ask clients about their best and worst money choices. It is probably not surprising to learn that “lending money to family” can show up in either column. Below, we’ll touch on the essential aspects of loaning money to family so that if you decide to go down that route (either as borrower or
Abigail Disney and Money Conversations
I recently ran across an interview with Abigail Disney, granddaughter of Roy O. Disney, co-founder of The Walt Disney Company (posted here at New York’s The Cut What It’s Like to Grow Up With More Money Than You’ll Ever Spend.) It is a surprisingly vulnerable and honest insight into the real-life impact (both good and
The Quarter in Charts – Q1 2019
If there was ever a quarter that demonstrated the changing nature of investment markets, it was the first quarter of 2019. Below, we’ll walk through the critical themes of the quarter touching specifically on the yield curve and the possibility of a recession. Asset Class Returns So far in 2019, investors have experienced double-digit returns
Forever Stamps & The Forever Tax
In 2007, the U.S. Postal Service introduced the first Forever Stamp for 41 cents. It was a great way for the postal service to increase their cash flow, but it was also beneficial for individuals, who knew they would be sending letters in the future, to “prepay” for stamps in hopes of sidestepping future postage
The Quarter in Charts – Q4 2018
The Year That Diversification Missed The chart above captures much of why investors felt they had nowhere to hide in 2018; because they didn't. For the first time in decades, no major asset class beat inflation. Meaning, if we could travel back in time a year, the absolute best investment for most investors would have
On Market Volatility and What to Believe
“They were told where they belonged, and they acted accordingly.” In his book, Predictably Irrational, Dan Ariely highlights how our understanding of our current situation impacts how we will behave in the future. “One stereotype of Asian Americans, for instance, is that they are especially gifted in mathematics and science. A common stereotype of females
Real Life: How We’re Teaching Our Kids About Money
Every parent I know struggles with how to teach their kids about money. And even though I’m a financial planner, I’m no different. Below, I’ll walk you through how my wife and I are giving it our best shot. I’ll cover how we address saving, giving, investing and how allowances fit into it. As I
Ze Pain of Market Corrections – Q3 2018 Market Commentary
(Updated: In an earlier version of this post, I couldn’t recall the name of the children’s book I reference throughout. I offered a $25 reward, payable to the sleuth’s charity of choice, for anyone who could help me. In less than a day, one of our readers emailed me the title “The Creature Department”. I happily