Subprime Mortgage Meltdown Has Far Reaching Effects
September 3, 2007
Lending money to high risk borrowers then packaging and re-selling the debt in ways that were supposed to reduce the risk didn’t turn out so well for the financial markets. A recent article in Business Week takes a look at these risky investments and Matthew Goldstein put together a list of the different areas affected by […]
Retirement Advice from Corporate Executives
August 30, 2007
If a wealthy retired corporate executive gave you retirement advice would be thankful or feel like they were rubbing your nose it in? Executive PrivilegeOur most recent company newsletter featured several former corporate executives that have retired from the business to pursue their life’s ambitions. I had mixed feelings as I read the article in […]
Investing in High Yield Corporate Bonds
August 28, 2007
We have some junk in our portfolio, junk bonds that is. About 5% of our portfolio is invested in junk bonds and today I’m taking a closer look at them due to their poor performance this year. What Makes Them Junky?When a company wants to sell bonds to raise money but their debt isn’t deemed […]
How Do You Know When to Invest in a Down Market?
August 22, 2007
As you watch your investment holdings quickly diminish over the course of a few days it is easy to panic. You might give some thought to trying to cut your losses and sell but if you’re a long term investor this is likely not in your best interest. In fact, when the market is down […]
Is the Stock Market Down?
August 20, 2007
Did I hear someone say something about the stock market doing poorly lately? Okay, I know it’s been taking a beating but honestly I haven’t been paying that much attention. Ignorance is Bliss?I haven’t looked at the value of my investments since June, the end of last quarter. I haven’t checked out a chart of […]
Money Mistakes to Avoid – Procrastination
August 13, 2007
Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow? If that is your motto then this post is for you! Time is MoneyEven if you’re not a procrastinator by nature, you’ve probably had a time or two where putting something off cost you money. Whether it’s paying money you shouldn’t be because you forgot […]
Show Them You Care With a Spousal IRA Contribution
August 10, 2007
Let’s be honest. Sometimes a “non-working” spouse actually works harder with their duties at home than the working half does on the job. What’s the best way to show them your appreciation, how about by contributing to a spousal IRA! Keeping Up IRA ContributionsOkay, this move probably won’t win you the spouse of the week […]
When is it Time to Reduce Retirement Plan Contributions?
July 30, 2007
How do you know how much to contribute to your retirment plan? Of course the more you put into your 401k, 403b, or IRA now the more you should have later in life when it is time to retire; but can you invest too much? Investing DecisionsI’ve always taken the approach of putting in as […]
When Do Undiscovered Stocks Become Mainstream?
July 6, 2007
I had to laugh when I read the top of the cover of the latest edition of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, 7 UNDISCOVERED STOCKS. If they’re advertised on the front page of Kiplinger’s are they really undiscovered? Undiscovered No MoreOf course the reason this headline sounds so appealing is that everyone wants to uncover a […]
Are Employers Doing Enough to Promote Retirement Plans?
July 3, 2007
Does your employer encourage you to participate in a retirement plan? It took my wife’s employer 6 years to actively promote their retirement plan. A Tale of Two Retirement PlansToday’s young workers won’t be able to rely on company pensions or Social Security when they’re old and gray so starting to invest right away in […]
