As some of you may be aware, one of my married life resolutions has been to work on streamlining my finances. In the past, I kept a separate Mint account for me and my wife but going forward we’re going to be using just one joint Personal Capital account. It was painful adding her student […]
The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Your 401(k)
When I started this site back in 2011, it was only a hobby. I didn’t ever expect to gain the following that I now have or turn it into a viable business but that’s what it’s become. Over the years, I’ve picked up a ton of knowledge about topics ranging from investments and credit cards […]
Everyone’s a Great Investor During a Bull Market
We all know the market has been on a tear the past couple years. The S&P 500 is at an all-time high and I know my 401(k), along with others’, has performed tremendously well. But my awesome returns aren’t due to the fact that I’m an investing genius, all I’ve done is maintain my portfolio […]
The Fiscal Cliff Blog Round-Up
There’s been a lot of talk about the looming fiscal cliff lately and it looks like Congress and the president won’t be able to reach a deal by the end of the year. There’s still a chance something may happen but you should start preparing your budget for the worst. Plan on taxes going up […]
Part 1: Why Rebalance Your Retirement Accounts
[This is the first article in a three part series about re-balancing, the next two articles will cover when to rebalance and how to rebalance your retirement accounts] A crucial part to a successful investment portfolio requires that you occasionally rebalance your portfolio. Due to the volatility of the market, the asset allocation you select might change […]
Asset Allocation Guide: Why to Invest in International Index Funds
If you followed the market from 2000-2009, you’ll know that US stocks got hammered. Investing in international stocks wouldn’t have saved you from a period like that, but it could have helped. International stocks provide some much needed diversification and tend to reduce your portfolio’s overall volatility. In fact, since international funds make up 60% […]
Is your Asset Allocation Too Risky?
Giving advice on asset allocation is one of the toughest things a financial advisor can do. How are they supposed to know how much risk another person can take? Asset allocation is an investment strategy that aims to diversify one’s portfolio holdings based on risk tolerance and time frame. Riskier assets generally include stocks (particularly […]