The powerful tax-deferral tool is likely nearing its end. WHAT IS STRETCHING: Sustaining and maximizing the tax-deferred status of an IRA when the beneficiary is a non-spouse such as a child. WHO LIKES IT: Beneficiaries who accrue years of compounded, tax-deferred growth while minimizing the Present Value of the liability (i.e. $1 in the future [...]
As one of the oldest and best-known indexes the DJIA is not only a benchmark for the world’s largest stock market but, also, a barometer of global confidence. This chart details the DJIA’s performance since 1896. It’s interesting to note how the highs and lows have reflected the U.S. economy. Greater still is [...]
We recently completed and are happy to share with you Apollo's 2017 Mid-Year Investment Outlook. It incorporates q1 activity with projections for future economic, tax and political events. It is meant to be a general guideline - not specific advice/recommendations. Specifics (cash flow, tax, estate, etc) dictate how this information may be incorporated into one's [...]
In response to regulatory pressure and settlement of lawsuits with 32 states the Big Three of credit reporting – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion – have decided to omit certain negative items from the credit reports of consumers. Examples include: Tax-lien and civil-judgment data that don’t include a complete list of at least three data points [...]
Yesterday JPMorgan Chase & Co announced it sent some wealth management customers letters notifying them that they will be moved to the firm’s self-directed platform ahead of a pending Labor Department retirement regulation. Following their product-pushing brethren (banks, brokerage firms and insurance companies) it’s the latest move that puts themselves ahead of their customers. For [...]
Back in November we wrote about the spin coming from Wall St ahead of the Dept of Labor's Fiduciary Rule. We were skeptical of the Wall St sales machine's intentions. It seems we were right to do so. In response to the Fiduciary Rule's delay and expectation it will be gutted (or completely killed) Merrill [...]
According to a recent study by caring.com just 40% of U.S. adults have a will (including only 36% of U.S. adults who have children under the age of 18). What’s more only 53% of U.S. adults have a healthcare power of attorney (“POA”). What’s the big deal? Without a will or similar trust agreement decisions [...]
How did the DJIA perform in 2016? What were the drivers? How does that compare over the trailing 10 years? Let's have a look...
Many brokerage firms and insurance companies speak from both sides of their mouths. Surprised? We shouldn’t be. The marketing departments of these firms promote the idea that employees are trusted advisors providing personalized investment advice. Conversely in an attempt to avoid complying with the upcoming fiduciary rule (i.e. doing what’s in the best interest of [...]
The typical investor is almost always his/her own worst enemy. Overconfidence, behavioral biases and emotional decisions conspire to ensure investment returns trail not only most major asset classes but even inflation. Consider the ROR of the average investor over the past 20 years: 2 SOURCES: JPMorgan Asset Management, Barclays, FactSet, S&P, Dalbar. 60/40 and 40/60 [...]