The importance of budgeting is undeniable, but many don’t do it because it is time consuming and difficult. Learn how to build a basic budget in 15 minutes which meets both your financial needs and goals.
The debate about whether a budget is a necessity or a waste of time often centers on a fundamentally flawed definition of budgeting. The exercise of budgeting shouldn’t be designed to limit you, but to give you the freedom to spend money in the manner you wish to spend it.
There is a lot of talk in the financial media about the benefits of automating your finances. But what exactly does that mean? And how do you go about doing it? Here’s one simple method of automating your finances which ties your budget in with your pay.
The importance of budgeting is undeniable, but many don’t do it because it is time consuming and difficult. Learn how to build a basic budget in 15 minutes which meets both your financial needs and goals.
Inflation is an insidious beast, and it’s surprisingly more dangerous than a market crash.
How would a slight increase in expected inflation impact your retirement plans? For the vast majority of my clients, inflation is the single biggest concern when stress testing the analysis and statistical models of their retirement plan.
Focusing on debt payoff can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars. Debt payoff strategies abound on the internet, and many mainstream financial gurus have built an empire on the common-sense approach to focus your financial efforts first on paying off your debt. The math, however, doesn’t work out in their favor.
The Stock Brokerage and Insurance Industries are fighting hard against the Department of Labor's Fiduciary Rule, which would require their advisers to put their client's interests first and disclose conflicts of interest. The industries got the 5th Circuit Court to agree that, unlike Registered Investment Advisers, stock brokers and insurnce agent are just salespeople
The DOL Fiduciary rule is now in force, but there is a loophole for commissioned advisers which can allow them to maintain their current compensation model. Make sure you understand the Best Interest Contract Exemption and the implications it has on potential conflicts of interest which could influence the investment advice you recieve.
Between the wide range of meaningless job titles and the alphabet soup of certifications and designations, it's easy for an advisor to hide how they truly do business. One thing an adviser can't hide, however, is how they're licensed. Knowing the license will tell you what they can advise on, how they are compensated, and whether they are fiduciaries.
