INVESTING BLOG

One well-known fact of economic life is that a dollar received today is worth more than a dollar received a year from now. Time and Money The relationship between time and money provides the foundation for virtually every financial decision you will make. Whether you are saving money for a future event or considering a loan to pay for a current financial need, you will be greatly impacted by the time value of money. This is true for two main reasons. First, a dollar received today can earn interest or appreciate in an investment account, thus increasing it's value with time. Second, inflation impacts the value of your dollar. As the price of goods increases with time due to inflation, the value (or purchasing power) of your dollar decreases. Time Value Tips Whether you are saving for retirement or a down payment on a home, college funding or dependant care needs, you will be greatly impacted by a few simple time value tips. Time Value Tip #1: The longer you have to prepare, the les...

The best financial decisions are made with the benefit of time, thoughtful consideration and trusted professional advice. As tax time once again approaches, there are many things you can do to give you the flexibility to make the best long term financial decisions and prepare to minimize expenses, taxes and the headache of organizing your finances at the last minute. Organize Your Tax Records Early In preparing for this year’s tax filing you should begin to organize tax records including year end investment statements, capital gains and losses from asset sales, transaction records from real estate transactions, interest and dividend records for the year (1099s), payroll and withholding statements (W-2s), records corresponding with deductible expenses such as property taxes and insurance, business income and expense records, etc. Review Your Insurance Coverages At least once each year you should gather your insurance records together and review the adequacy of your coverages. Be sure to...

Financial planning means something different to everyone. For some, it's about getting by on their paycheck, for others it's about watching the stock market each day. Unfortunately, very few of us feel prepared to meet our ongoing financial obligations and objectives. Worries about money have become one of the greatest anxieties of our day. Because our lives and goals are so different, there is no turn-key solution for managing ones finances and meeting financial goals. We can, however, identify several steps successful people take in planning for and meeting their financial goals. We call these steps "Life Cycle Planning" because each step can be tied to the attainment of certain life defining events that almost everyone goes through. Development of Human Capital Human Capital is a person's ability to turn their skills and abilities into a livelihood. The development of these skills and abilities helps us maximize our income potential in a competitive marketplace...