Author: johnsondev

Non-Financial Advice to Help Achieve Financial Success

Post author By johnsondev
Post date October 2, 2018
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Young adult woman walking up the stairs with sun sport background.

We believe that financial success will lead us to happiness. There’s the adage: “money can’t buy happiness” and broadly speaking, I agree with that. But, there’s no ignoring that financial stress is cited as the leading cause of divorce.

Tragically, financial loss or instability has led people and families down destructive paths. While money may not buy happiness, financial stability and comfort is a crucial ingredient for most in finding that happiness. That’s why you’re here reading this article. That’s why I’m here writing it – and crucially – why I am a financial advisor.

Videos

Tuning Out the Noise

The right financial advisor plays a vital role in keeping investors focused on what really matters.

Financial Planning

Things to Think About Before Deciding to Payoff a Mortgage Early

Post author By johnsondev
Post date August 20, 2018
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Many view debt-free homeownership as an important step on the journey to financial freedom and, eventually, a successful retirement. As housing costs increase across the country, particularly in and around major cities, being able to live in your home while only paying tax and insurance can go a long way toward keeping monthly expenses manageable.

Fiduciary Financial Advice

Fee-Only Advisors & Incentives

Post author By johnsondev
Post date June 26, 2018
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A couple and an advisor discussing about fee-only incentives — Cape Town, South Africa

Incentives are one of the most powerful economic forces in the world. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re looking at, you can typically draw a straight line between the incentives offered to an individual and the way they go about performing their job.

Investment Decisions

Fixed Income Investing in an Era of Rising Interest Rates

Post author By johnsondev
Post date March 29, 2018
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Let’s talk about bonds for a minute. Occasionally, we get asked about what the future prospects are for bond investors. Sometimes with the implication being: “Should I be invested in bonds at all?” For the past decade, we’ve lived in a very low interest rate environment, relative to historical averages. (Click charts below to enlarge)

Managing Investment Risks

Recent Market Volatility

It’s been grizzly out there. Times like these give me a chance to share my absolute favorite quote about markets. From Bill Bernstein’s book, he recalls how investor Ralph Wagoner explained markets:

Retirement Solutions

It’s Required Minimum Distribution Season

Post author By johnsondev
Post date December 18, 2017

It’s Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) season (or Minimum Required Distribution – MRD, same thing). Beginning the year an individual turns 70 ½ mandatory distributions from certain tax-deferred retirement accounts must begin.

Each year, the amount required to be distributed increases as a percentage of a retirement account’s balance. This percentage starts out small – about 3.5% of the account’s value – and increases to nearly 10% of the account value by age 92 (and continues to increase beyond that). You can find the full distribution table at the IRS website.

Current Events

The Wall Street Journal & Morningstar Are Fighting

Post author By johnsondev
Post date October 27, 2017
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The Wall Street Journal and Morningstar are fighting. On Wednesday, an in-depth piece ran in the Wall Street Journal that attacked Morningstar’s rating metrics as being misleading and causing individuals, advisors, pension funds, and endowments to make poor decisions about where to invest.

Later that day, Morningstar issued an aggrieved response that claimed that the Journal had drawn incorrect conclusions about their rating methodology and that, despite misunderstandings, the ratings are still a valuable tool for investors.

Tax Efficiency

Early Fall Update To The Trump Tax Plan

Post author By johnsondev
Post date October 3, 2017
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Once again, the President and several officials placed in charge of revamping the US tax code have released an outline for what they hope tax reform will accomplish this year. And once again, it is short on crucial details that would let us know the exact ramifications of the policies they aim for.

You may remember that I have released thoughts on prior developments in the Trump tax plan back in December and May. Despite the latest release, constituting nine pages of information compared to the one-page outline released in April, there isn’t a lot of new information here. However, a few of the suspected aims of this tax plan seem to be coming into better view.

Current Events

Equifax Security Breach

By this point, it is news to no one that Equifax was hacked resulting in the personal and financial information of millions of people to fall into the wrong hands.

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