All grandparents know that grandchildren are more fun than children! That’s a given. For me, that lesson was revisited this weekend when our granddaughters Ava (8) and Natalie (5) convinced us to set up the trains, an activity that typically does not occur until the Christmas tree goes up in MID-DECEMBER. A little begging goes … Continued
The average price for gasoline in the U. S. is currently below $3.00 per gallon. Moreover, the Energy Department recently predicted that the average price of gasoline in the U. S. will be below $2.94 a gallon in 2015, a 44% decrease from their previous outlook, issued just a month ago. That may sound like … Continued
In economics, present value is a future amount of money that has been discounted to reflect its current value. In short, money now is worth more than money in the future. To put the issue in a context that should be familiar to most of us; if you put your house on the market, you … Continued
My friend Phil Siebert, a Vietnam War Veteran and Founder and President of Julius Arthur Seibert & Co., honored Veteran’s Day by sending out a note to clients and friends about the traditions that surround the Guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Some of the information below apparently began with a Jeopardy question … Continued
Most investors recognize that markets tend to fluctuate, sometimes quite suddenly, and predicting these swings has proven to be very difficult. Avoiding the whipsaw is usually crucial to successful, long term investing. Investopedia defines “whipsaw” as a condition where a security’s or market’s price heads in one direction, but then is followed quickly by a … Continued
An emergency fund is money set aside for unforeseen events such as sudden unemployment, short-term disability, a natural disaster or a major car repair. Having an emergency fund is a vital part of everyone’s financial plan; without an emergency fund an unexpected medical bill could put you over the edge and force you to incur … Continued
With the plethora of events impacting the investing world (Ebola, ISIS, market volatility, Ukraine and gasoline price collapses), it is easy to lose sight of the basics of investing. And, while the basics tend to be less newsworthy, they are much more important for a successful outcome over the long term than the crisis du … Continued
It is probably fair to say that the “rule of law” is one of the key pillars of our government and financial system. Wikipedia defines the rule of law as “the legal principle that the law should govern a nation, as opposed to arbitrary decisions by individual government officials”. As investment advisors, we are well … Continued
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal, “Robo Financial Advisers Can’t Coach”, discussed the evolution of robo-advisers and what they offer, and more importantly what they do not offer. A robo-adviser is a new class of portfolio manager and financial planner that offers inexpensive management and planning services utilizing online tools. Many in our … Continued
For most of the period following World War II, political and investment decisions have been predicated on the assumption that oil reserves were limited and that shortages and price increases were the most likely long-term risk to an increasingly energy dependent society. Recent weakness in oil prices suggest that the expectation of shortages, particularly in … Continued
Ebola seems to dominate the news flow of late, and understandably so. Deadly viruses command attention, as does the risk of pandemics. While not minimizing the significance of the familial, social and demographic implications of rapidly spreading viruses, our expertise and focus in this brief blog, is on the economic impact. In modern history, potential … Continued
Changes in corporate pension plans, increasing risks associated with the certainty of public pension plan funding and questions about the long-term sustainability of social security payments suggest that Americans should step up their game and start saving for tomorrow, today. Precise estimates tend to vary, however, it is clear that Americans are not saving enough … Continued
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