Well, that was a year to remember! I won’t spend too much time talking about 2020 as we are all looking forward to moving on. However, it may be worthwhile to do a short recap of what happened to markets and how they concluded in 2020.
Socially responsible investing (SRI) is a general term used to describe various subsets of investing that attempt to align your portfolio with your values. There are two categories that tend to be the most popular: ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), and BRI (Biblically Responsible Investing).
It all started when a project on my honey-do list required me to dust off the circular saw. I discovered an interest in woodworking... Most people start their research on Google but fail to realize that everyone has a unique set of circumstances and goals, so general advice isn’t going to get you where you need to be, at least not efficiently. The same goes for financial advice. There are a lot of different ways to save and invest, but making sure you are using the right investments and saving your money in the right places will have a huge impact on the quality and success of your goals.
“FAANG” stands for Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google/Alphabet. These are considered 5 of the hottest stocks in the market today. These 5 stocks have no doubt created a lot of rich people and in turn, have generated a lot of buzz when it comes to any investor from the newest to the most advanced. This concept has driven further theory and speculation into “figuring out” or “cracking the code” to the unpredictable stock market which has been going on since its inception in 1926.
It is often said that “half of marriages end in divorce.” So how do you navigate the choppy waters of divorce? How do you make good, educated and unemotional decisions in an incredibly emotional environment? Here are 4 areas to consider when going through a divorce: Division of Assets, Division of Debts, Children, and Spousal Support (Alimony).
Before claiming social security there are some things you should know. When do you meet your full retirement age because that impacts how much you collect. Take a look at your longevity, your Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) and your spousal benefits. Lastly, keep in mind that there may be taxes and penalties that come with claiming too soon. We realize that this is a complex subject and encourage you to work with a financial planner, CFP® or ChFC® who is proficient in retirement planning.
Planning for retirement and retirement itself is both a game of numbers and psychology. Both areas serve to create the most successful planning and, ironically, a focus on each of these areas individually serve the other. The numbers are the foundation and lifeblood of any retirement plan. Most people, even the ones actively saving for retirement, do not have a clear and specific idea of what their investments will be and what they can expect from them when they retire.
What should a business owner do to protect themselves and their business’ in the event of a market downturn? Here are 3 important aspects to keep in mind -- be aware, be lean, and be balanced.