“Individual income can grow only as fast as productivity rises.” ~ Alex Berenson (born 1973), American writer Question: How will my income portfolio be affected by rising interest rates? Answer: When it comes to making predictions, I’ve learned that it’s best to plan for the occasional economic wildcard and look for trends rather than absolutes. Between 2008 and 2015 the […]
Ask the CFP
Why Skipping a Generation Can Be a Good Thing
Ask The CFP® Practitioner“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” ~ Nelson Henderson, Scottish rugby player (1865-1943) Question: Could you explain generation-skipping trusts and how they might benefit our family? Answer: By definition, generation-skipping trusts (GSTs) are any trust whose beneficiaries are two or more generations below the grantor. For example, as a […]
Summer School
Ask The CFP® Practitioner“We all learn by experience, but some of us have to go to summer school.” ~ Peter De Vries, American novelist, 1910-1993. Question: Our grandchildren are spending time with us this summer. What can we can do while they’re here with us to help teach financial responsibility as they get older? Answer: There’s no better way to build a strong […]
Cautious Optimism
Ask The CFP® Practitioner“We either live with intention or exist by default.” ~ Kristin Armstrong, three time Olympic Gold Medal Winner Question: What are your thoughts on how the economy is doing, and what is expected for the remainder of the year? Answer: Economic activity is often measured and evaluated by leading economic indicators (LEIs). There are twelve LEIs so it’s not unusual […]
An Agreement in Principle
Ask The CFP® Practitioner“The future depends on what we do in the present.” ~Mahatma Gandhi Question: Can you explain the trade and tariff talks between the United States and China? Answer: The United States and China are the two most influential economies in the world today. Trade bickering began on December 11, 2001 when […]
The Trend Is Your Friend
Ask The CFP® Practitioner“The genius of investing is recognizing the direction of a trend – not catching highs and lows.” ~ John Bogle, Founder of Vanguard Question: With unemployment rates so low, shouldn’t wages be higher? Answer: It’s logical to expect wages to go up when the economy strengthens and the demand for workers increases. Economics 101 […]
Yeah Science!
Ask The CFP® Practitioner“We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.” ~ Jacques Yves Cousteau (1910-1997) Question: What can be done about the dwindling supply of fresh water in the world? Answer: The earth is a closed-water system meaning that the earth does not lose or gain water over time. Our population however continues to grow, placing greater demands […]
The Amazon Phenomenon
Ask The CFP® Practitioner“Human behavior flows from three main sources; desire, emotion and knowledge.” ~ Plato Several weeks ago we addressed growth trends for online shopping and the impact on consumer behavior. Today we’ll continue that conversation. The online shopping experience is typically a more cost-efficient proposition for companies when compared to a traditional brick and mortar (B&M) retail space model. This led […]
A Taxing Ordeal
Ask The CFP® Practitioner“The best way to teach your kids about taxes is by eating 30% of their ice cream.” ~ Bill Murray, Comedian The last column mentioned that today we’d examine how online shopping and the internet are influencing retail space. Since that time I’ve received questions regarding income tax preparation. Today […]
Makers, Takers, and Stuff
ASK THE CFP® PRACTITIONER“The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page.” ~ Saint Augustine China’s Belt Road Initiative (BRI) or One Belt One Road (OBOR) was introduced in the last column with a promise to expand on the concept in this issue. As a refresher, the purpose of China’s OBOR project is to provide expanded and […]
Category Pages are limited to 365 days. Please use the archive page or the search box to find older articles.