Investors might think of stocks as their cake, and dividends as an extra layer of frosting, but in fact, dividends are a bite out of your cake. Post-dividend, your stock—your slice of a company—is worth a tiny bit less.
Join us September 16th, 2023 alongside the AppleTree 5k. As the race is underway, we'll have Rob at our office with light refreshments while Matt & Andrea lace up for the walk/run. Stop by to grab a bite, connect with our financial advisors and explore recommended books about capital markets and financial security.
Ever heard of the 80/20 rule? It suggests 80% of an outcome is often the result of just 20% of the effort you put into it. This doesn’t always work. Sometimes, it’s worth going the extra mile. But often, by prioritizing the 20% of your efforts that makes the biggest splash, you can reduce excess commotion. In that spirit, here are 3 financial best practices that pack a lot of value per “pound.”
In planning for retirement, one topic is often top of mind: What if Social Security goes bust? As we covered in a related post, When Should You Take Your Social Security, most of us have been paying into the program our entire working life. We’re counting on receiving some of that money back in retirement.
It’s hard, and often counterproductive to comment about breaking news while it’s still moving through the proverbial grinder … which is why we usually don’t do so. However, we feel it’s worth commenting on the current, growing number of regional bank runs.
The original SECURE Act was signed into law on December 20th, 2019. Its “sequel,” the SECURE 2.0 Act, was similarly enacted at year-end on December 29th, 2022. Both pieces of legislation seek to reform how Americans prepare for retirement while juggling current spending needs. Across shifting socioeconomic climates, a hard truth remains: Employers and the government play a role in helping you save for and spend in retirement, but much of the preparation ultimately falls on you.
To say the least, there’s been plenty of political, financial, and economic action this year—from rising interest rates, to elevated inflation, to ongoing market turmoil. How will all the excitement translate into annual performance in our investment portfolios? Markets often deliver their best returns just when we’re most discouraged. So, who knows! While we wait to find out, here are five action items worth tending to before 2022 is a wrap.
Our faith in these marvelous markets can be tested when bear markets rage like they have in 2022. It’s natural for our loss aversion tendencies (Investor Behavior Biases) to appear, tempting us to alleviate the uncomfortable feeling.