Articles

Modeling investment returns seeks to find an equation to predict your expected returns as much as possible. The simplest equation for the markets would be “Return equals 11.71%.” This has been the average return from 1927 through 2010, the zero factor model.

“Economics in One Lesson” by Henry Hazlitt is one of the classics which should be required reading before voting. It is interesting to see that he knew more in 1946 than the politicians of our age.

Financial troubles and marital troubles go together. Does financial largess therefore also go with marital harmony? Do something romantic together: Engage a fee-only financial planner.

David John Marotta and Matthew Illian discuss how to get more from Social Security by filing at the right time and taking benefits at the right time.

Couples that fail to prepare for a shared money maturity will likely experience longer and sharper growing pains.

“Unlike the government economic advisor, these entrepreneurial castaways are not making, i.e. printing, money. Instead, they’re creating new wealth by producing things that others find valuable.”

Social Security benefits can represent a big stack of cash. A typical monthly benefit of $2,200 has a present value well over $500,000. Consider all your Social Security options carefully to avoid making a costly mistake.

If you had the services of a financial advisor working for you, what would you want them to work on?

Q: I recently landed a job that will allow me to begin saving. My company offers a 401(k) and a 3% match, but I also have college debts of $15,000 and a credit card balance of $650. How do you recommend I proceed?

“How can you respond if these new taxes are enacted? One option is to do a Roth conversion so that you can pay taxes now for those retirement funds.”

Nearly everyone is an excellent candidate for a Roth conversion this year. You can always undo part or all of a Roth conversion with what’s called a recharacterization, so you can’t convert too much.

Who would have thought that someone earning $10,700 might want to purposefully push their taxable income up to $217,450 this year in order to pay $47,595 more in taxes at these lower 2012 tax rates?

Who would have thought that someone in the 33% tax bracket now who will be in a lower 28% tax bracket in the future might want to do a Roth conversion at his higher rates now?

Who would have thought that someone earning $400,000 might want to purposefully push their taxable income up to $1.2M this year in order to pay $280,000 more in taxes at these lower 2012 tax rates?

Who would have thought that someone earning $75,000 might want to purposefully push their taxable income up to $275,000 this year in order to pay as much as possible at these lower 2012 tax rates!