Tag: Rick Brooks and Blankinship & Foster
Complexity as Job Security
We’ve all heard stories about the guy at work who makes his job seem far more complicated than it really is so that he becomes harder to fire or lay off. Complexity as job security is nothing new. And Wall Street product manufacturers are wizards at this. In the 1990s, as mutual funds were becoming […]
Ukraine and the Volatility in the Stock Market
As I write this article, Russia has finally made its move into Ukraine. After building up troops along the Ukrainian border, Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale assault on Ukraine with the stated objective of replacing its government. I don’t want to minimize the impact this would have on Ukraine, which will be devastating, but the […]
To Roll or Not to Roll; What to do With Your 401(k)
Every year, millions of Americans change jobs or retire and leave the workforce entirely. Most are faced with a seemingly inconsequential choice: what to do with your company 401k plan. Almost every financial advisor (including yours truly) will recommend rolling funds out of your company retirement plan and into a rollover IRA (that they can […]
Planning is the Key to Goal Achievement
I recently had the pleasure of joining my clients for the christening of their new boat. It was one of those rare experiences when you can share the moment as a lifelong dream comes true. This dream was a long time coming and was the result of a lot of hard work and planning. One […]
Giving Thanks Two Years Into a Pandemic
The past couple of years have been challenging on many levels. There were ups and downs, to be sure. Having my adult daughter living at home for almost a full year was wonderful, though we all agreed it was best when she moved back to school to finish her graduate degree. Not spending 90 minutes […]
Insuring Your New eBike
During the Pandemic, I’ve seen more and more people out riding electric bicycles (“eBikes”) than ever before. In downtown San Diego, they’ve become pretty common, as they do make the hills a lot easier to navigate. So, I was intrigued recently when we were discussing property and casualty insurance market with our resident specialist and […]
What is Sustainable Investing?
One of the more interesting trends in the investment industry is a shift by investors towards a greater use of sustainable investment strategies. This isn’t a new thing, but it is a trend that has been accelerating in recent years as global warming has become more of a concern. So it begs the question, just […]
Don’t Let Taxes Alone Drive Your Investment Decisions
Taxes are a factor that has to be considered when making investment decisions, but they are not the only factor. As we’ve often said: don’t let the tax tail wag the investment dog. Planning investment decisions around existing tax rates is relatively straight forward. You can estimate your income and your capital gains for the […]
The Three Secrets to a Satisfying Retirement
As we work towards retirement, the financial services and marketing industries bombard us with images of happy people traveling, playing golf and walking on the beach; a permanent vacation. The reality is a bit more mundane: the average retiree spends most of their time (after sleeping) watching television. For those preparing for retirement (and even […]
