Tag: Rick Brooks
Tax Efficient Investing, Part I
For the first time in over a decade, tax rates on income and investment gains have risen. In addition, a new Net Investment Income tax has been imposed on all investment income for taxpayers whose Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is above certain thresholds ($200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for married filers). So, given these […]
The Fiscal Cliff. Hype or Hysteria?
Last month I tried to show how Americans are both unclear and conflicted about what our federal government spends its revenues on and how much ought to be spent on those things. I tried to show that We The People want our government to spend more money on security and services than we are willing […]
Introduction to Municipal Bonds
During the past quarter, three municipalities in California filed for bankruptcy protection. The City of Stockton, followed shortly by Mammoth Lakes, and most recently the city of San Bernardino. Each municipality has been rocked by a combination of economic stagnation, declining revenues (property and sales taxes) and, in the case of San Bernardino, (possibly criminal) […]
Disability Insurance Basics
According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), more than half of Americans say they would be unable to pay their bills or meet their expenses if they became disabled and could not work for a year or longer. Research on the reasons for personal bankruptcy has shown that prolonged medical bills are often […]
Investing With Discipline
In my last article I discussed some of the behavioral aspects to investing that can create problems for long-term investors. These are deeply rooted, emotionally driven mental shortcuts that humans have learned to use over the millennia. They have helped us to survive as a species in the wild, but are less helpful in today’s […]
Volatile Markets and Human Behavior
Regret is a very complex emotion, but it is also one of the central emotions that drive our investing behavior. I was pondering the concept of regret the other day and thought I would share some of our thinking on the topic, to help you frame your own investment decisions. Generally, when people think about […]
So You’re Thinking About Retirement
The old “rule of thumb” for retirement is that you will need about 70 percent of your pre-retirement income during retirement. This may be true for some folks, but generally we’re seeing new retirees spend 100 percent or more of their pre-retirement income during retirement. A key reason for this is that people who retire […]
When Relatives Need Help
No one wants to give up control of their lives. That’s as true at 20 as it is at 80. But if you sense an older relative is slowing down, or if a serious illness threatens the finances of any loved one, it’s time to start planning. A good first stop is a Certified Financial […]
A Brief Reminder About Volatility
By Rick Brooks When you are investing, you are being paid to take risk. The more risk you take, the more you should expect to make on your investments. This is something that seems to be forgotten during the good times. But volatility is part of investing. If you are not willing to take risks, […]
