Natural Resources Endure Shorter Recessionary Bust
By Christopher A. Reynolds
June 4, 2010
Resource investors were not immune to the pain of the latest recession, but, for them, it was more like tearing off a Band-Aid than slowly peeling one away. The S&P Global 1200, a stock index providing a reliable measure of worldwide equity markets, peaked on Oct. 31, 2007. We all know what happened next: financial crisis, [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
June 4, 2010
Resource investors were not immune to the pain of the latest recession, but, for them, it was more like tearing off a Band-Aid than slowly peeling one away. The S&P Global 1200, a stock index providing a reliable measure of worldwide equity markets, peaked on Oct. 31, 2007. We all know what happened next: financial crisis, [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
Does That Pricey College Pay Off?
By Matthew Slen
April 5, 2010
Investing in a college education pays big lifetime dividends, with college graduates generally earning far more than high school graduates. And some studies find that, after factoring in potentially higher costs, diplomas from the most prestigious institutions may be worth even more. Mark Schneider, a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
April 5, 2010
Investing in a college education pays big lifetime dividends, with college graduates generally earning far more than high school graduates. And some studies find that, after factoring in potentially higher costs, diplomas from the most prestigious institutions may be worth even more. Mark Schneider, a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
Should You Do A Roth IRA Conversion?
By Paul Jacobs, CFP®, EA
February 1, 2010
The federal government may have given you the opportunity to save tens or even hundreds of thousands of tax dollars — if you’re willing to deal with some complexity. Will you take advantage of it? Beginning this year, all taxpayers will be allowed to convert their traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs, regardless of their income levels. [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
February 1, 2010
The federal government may have given you the opportunity to save tens or even hundreds of thousands of tax dollars — if you’re willing to deal with some complexity. Will you take advantage of it? Beginning this year, all taxpayers will be allowed to convert their traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs, regardless of their income levels. [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
Kick-Starting Life After College
By Melinda Beckmann
February 1, 2010
Last May, I said goodbye to 10-page papers, late-night cram sessions, dorm life and dining halls, trading them in for deadlines, presentations, dress slacks, a cookbook and 6:30 a.m. wake-up calls. Although I miss the freedom and fun that college offered, life after college presents exciting challenges. During senior year, most students focus on only one [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
February 1, 2010
Last May, I said goodbye to 10-page papers, late-night cram sessions, dorm life and dining halls, trading them in for deadlines, presentations, dress slacks, a cookbook and 6:30 a.m. wake-up calls. Although I miss the freedom and fun that college offered, life after college presents exciting challenges. During senior year, most students focus on only one [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
Revisiting The Panic of 2008
By Larry M. Elkin, CPA, CFP®
October 1, 2009
The Panic of 2008 and the Great Recession it spawned are no longer news; they are history. Recovery will be slow and other hazards threaten our future prosperity, but we got through the crisis in better shape than we might have. Though it will be some time before economists crunch the numbers and declare the recession [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
October 1, 2009
The Panic of 2008 and the Great Recession it spawned are no longer news; they are history. Recovery will be slow and other hazards threaten our future prosperity, but we got through the crisis in better shape than we might have. Though it will be some time before economists crunch the numbers and declare the recession [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
Learning To Expect The Unexpected
By Benjamin C. Sullivan, CFP®
June 15, 2009
Just when we thought we knew how risky financial markets could be, the past year’s roller coaster ride reminds us that what lies ahead can be scarier than what came before. Although some variant of the disclaimer “past performance is not indicative of future results” is slapped onto nearly every financial prospectus, professionals continue to view [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
June 15, 2009
Just when we thought we knew how risky financial markets could be, the past year’s roller coaster ride reminds us that what lies ahead can be scarier than what came before. Although some variant of the disclaimer “past performance is not indicative of future results” is slapped onto nearly every financial prospectus, professionals continue to view [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
Private Equity In A Deleveraged World
By Paul Jacobs, CFP®, EA
April 1, 2009
Private equity’s reputation has taken a hit, but as with any other investment, the best time to buy is when there is blood on the street. Right now, the streets are pretty bloody. We have seen a dramatic reversal of fortune for the buyout experts since the credit crunch began in 2007. Financing for their leveraged [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
April 1, 2009
Private equity’s reputation has taken a hit, but as with any other investment, the best time to buy is when there is blood on the street. Right now, the streets are pretty bloody. We have seen a dramatic reversal of fortune for the buyout experts since the credit crunch began in 2007. Financing for their leveraged [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
Ethical Investing For Federal Officials
By Eric Meermann, CFP®, AVA, EA
April 1, 2009
After approval by the appropriate supervisory ethics office, a blind trust will be effective as a device to avoid financial conflicts of interest, provided it meets these requirements established by the Ethics in Government Act of 1978: Within 30 days after the trust is established, the official must file the trust agreement and a list of [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
April 1, 2009
After approval by the appropriate supervisory ethics office, a blind trust will be effective as a device to avoid financial conflicts of interest, provided it meets these requirements established by the Ethics in Government Act of 1978: Within 30 days after the trust is established, the official must file the trust agreement and a list of [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
Take Advantage Of The Panic Of 2008
By Larry M. Elkin, CPA, CFP®
January 3, 2009
Many will rue what they lost in the Panic of 2008, but if you have patience, foresight and the nerve to buck the crowd, the aftermath presents a wealth of opportunity. Virtually every asset, apart from U.S. Treasury obligations and the dollar itself, is marked down as steeply as a sweater, a television or a car [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
January 3, 2009
Many will rue what they lost in the Panic of 2008, but if you have patience, foresight and the nerve to buck the crowd, the aftermath presents a wealth of opportunity. Virtually every asset, apart from U.S. Treasury obligations and the dollar itself, is marked down as steeply as a sweater, a television or a car [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
Imagining A 21st-Century Depression
By Jonathan Bergman, CFP®, EA
January 2, 2009
Mention the phrase “Great Depression,” and the black-and white image of men in fedoras on soup lines comes to mind. A 21st-century depression would scarcely resemble that of yesteryear, but would be similarly miserable. Let’s be clear: The United States is not headed for an economic depression similar to the Great Depression. Since the Great Depression, [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
January 2, 2009
Mention the phrase “Great Depression,” and the black-and white image of men in fedoras on soup lines comes to mind. A 21st-century depression would scarcely resemble that of yesteryear, but would be similarly miserable. Let’s be clear: The United States is not headed for an economic depression similar to the Great Depression. Since the Great Depression, [...]
To read the complete article, click here.
