Why should I invest outside the US?
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. We’ve all probably heard the old idiom warning against the danger of committing all your resources into one area. If you wouldn’t make a concentrated investment on one single stock, why would you limit your investment opportunities to just one country? The US stock market is the… Read More
Social Security Retirement Benefit Basics
Social Security benefits are a major source of retirement income for most people. Your Social Security retirement benefit is based on the number of years you’ve been working and the amount you’ve earned. When you begin taking Social Security benefits also greatly affects the size of your benefit. How do you qualify for retirement benefits?… Read More
Protecting What’s Yours (After You Pass) | Part 2: Step-by-Step Estate Planning
In our last piece, we emphasized the importance of estate planning as the greatest gift you can bequeath to your loved ones, to reduce their painful stress load during an already stressful time. If you’ve been putting off your estate planning, taking the initial steps can be daunting—but liberating. So, let’s get started today, one… Read More
Protecting What’s Yours (After You Pass) | Part 1: The Importance of Estate Planning
Fact: When you pass, you will leave behind an estate, and somebody will need to settle it. Your estate may be worth a little or a lot, but there’s no escaping death and taxes. So why do so many families put off their essential estate planning until push comes to shove? Estate Planning Is an… Read More
Is Focusing Your Investments Solely on Dividend-Paying Stocks a Reliable Strategy?
A cash dividend is a distribution of a portion of a company’s retained earnings that are shared with stockholders. Frequently, these payments are made on a quarterly schedule. Some income-oriented investors are attracted to dividends because they view these stocks as less risky, and perhaps more stable. However, common misconceptions may lead investors to prioritize… Read More
Are Concerns About Inflation Inflated?
KEY TAKEAWAYS Recent Dimensional research suggests that simply staying invested helps outpace inflation over the long term for a wide range of asset classes. The protection offered by inflation-indexed securities still appears to be the most effective for investors who are particularly sensitive to unexpected inflation. Analysis of data from 1927–2020 covers periods with double-digit… Read More
2021 Q2 Market Commentary
As we swing into the second half of 2021, consider this quote from a book first published back in 1954: “A river cannot, we are told, rise above its source. Well, it can seem to if there is a pumping station concealed somewhere about.” — Darrell Huff, “How to Lie with Statistics” Does the sentiment… Read More
Given the Changes in the Market Due to COVID-19, Which Sector Should I Invest In?
Over a year after Covid-19 initially turned our worlds upside down, many of us would probably prefer to never hear the words “New Normal” ever again. Unfortunately, we may see the phrase’s continued use as investors and pundits speculate as to which sectors will flourish moving forward given the evolving definition of “normal” lifestyles. With… Read More
How Does Inflation Impact Investors?
When the prices of goods and services increase over time, consumers can buy fewer of them with every dollar they have saved. This erosion of the real purchasing power of wealth is called inflation. Inflation is an important element of investing. In many cases, the reason for saving today is to support future spending. Therefore,… Read More
The Insurance Rule Nobody Knows About
Right now, we are seeing incredible growth in home prices across the country. As of March 2021, the median existing single-family home price was $334,500, up 18.4% from March 2020.1 If you live in a state like Utah, you’re likely seeing even greater growth in home prices. In addition, there has been a tremendous spike… Read More