Blog

Portfolio Rebalancing

Jeff Secord, CFP®, CAP®

Monday, July 19, 2021

Portfolio Rebalancing Portfolio rebalancing is the process of adjusting a portfolio allocation back to a pre-determined asset allocation. For example, let’s assume you and your advisor have determined you are best suited for a...

RWM 2021 1st Quarter Commentary & Update

Jeff Secord, CFP®, CAP®

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Asset Management 2020 was a dramatic year of recovery from the depths of the COVID-19 declines in March. Political drama is somewhat behind us but the market may express some volatility around new administration policies, increasing...

RWM 2020 4th Quarter Commentary & Update

Jeff Secord, CFP®, CAP®

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Asset Management Market returns are now positive for the year, but, with dramatic differences between sectors and different types of individual securities. We suspect the stock market will go through periods of volatility, (especially...

The Bucket Theory: A Smart Way to Manage Cash Flows

Jeff Secord, CFP®, CAP®

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

If you are currently, or up to 3-5 years away from, withdrawing your retirement savings, the time-based bucket theory may be a good fit for you. As you shift from wealth accumulation to wealth distribution, you need a strategic plan to...

RWM 2020 2nd Quarter Commentary & Update

Jeff Secord, CFP®, CAP®

Sunday, July 12, 2020

Asset Management Financial markets have recovered surprisingly well from the depths of the Bear Market in March. However, all stock market indexes except NADAQ are still in negative territory year-to-date. We suspect the stock market...

Your Tax Return, The Key to After-Tax Wealth

Jeff Secord, CFP®, CAP®

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

What is your biggest budget expense item? For most of our clients the answer is…Income Tax! What can we do about it? - Plan ahead! The best time to start income tax planning is when you have last year’s completed return....

Tax Loss Harvesting...Why?...How?

Jeff Secord, CFP®, CAP®

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Why do we worry about paying too much income tax? For many, taxes are our largest expense! It seems like there are two ways to approach tax-planning: Do nothing. Send in your numbers. Pay your tax Proactively plan. Try to get an edge...

The coronavirus pandemic has affected virtually every facet of American life and severely impacted the markets and economy. Congress and the federal government have acted to help individuals and businesses get through this difficult...

Economic and Financial Commentary: April 2020 Given the fluctuations in the global markets over the last month we thought it would be helpful to remind everyone the principles behind investing and the iterative process that we work...

Your Credit Report Your credit report contains information about your past and present credit transactions. It's used primarily by potential lenders to evaluate your creditworthiness. So if you're about to apply for credit, especially...

You know how important it is to plan for your retirement, but where do you begin? One of your first steps should be to estimate how much income you'll need to fund your retirement. That's not as easy as it sounds, because retirement...

With age comes responsibility, so if you're a young adult in your 20s or 30s, chances are you've been introduced to the realities of adulthood. While you’re excited by all the opportunities life has to offer, you’re also...

Answer: To figure out your net worth, add up the current value of all of your assets, then add up the current amount of all of your liabilities. Subtract your total liabilities from your total assets. The amount you end up with is your...

It's almost impossible to overstate the importance of taking the time to plan your estate. Nevertheless, it's surprising how many American adults haven't done so. You might think that those who are rich and famous would be way ahead of...

Is your financial house in order? The end of the year is approaching and it's a great time to take steps that can help improve your personal finances. Some items to consider: If you're not retired, review your contributions to...

It's hard to talk about college without mentioning financial aid. Yet this pairing isn't a marriage of love, but one of necessity. In many cases, financial aid may be the deciding factor in whether your child attends the college of his...

Teach Your Children Well: Basic Financial Education Even before your children can count, they already know something about money: it's what you have to give the ice cream man to get a cone, or put in the slot to ride the rocket ship...

Women Moving Forward Financially after the Loss of a Spouse The loss of a spouse can be a devastating, life-changing event. Due to longer life expectancies, women are more likely to face this situation. Becoming a widow at any age can...

When we discuss base lifestyle spending assumptions with clients, most people take a stab at coming up with a number, but there is a wide degree of error and inconsistency. My recommendation is to become aware of what you spend by...

Your contributions to your employer-sponsored retirement savings plan may still enable you to open or contribute to either a Roth or traditional individual retirement account (IRA). However, your (or your spouse’s) participation...

Housing Options for Older Individuals: As you grow older, your housing needs may change. Maybe you'll get tired of doing yardwork. You might want to retire in sunny Florida or live close to your grandchildren in Illinois. Perhaps...

If you are currently, or up to 3-5 years away from, withdrawing your retirement savings, the time-based bucket theory may be a good fit for you. As you shift from wealth accumulation to wealth distribution, you need a strategic plan to...

Yes, you can make a direct or 60-day rollover from a 401(k)plan [or other qualified plan, 403(b) plan, or governmental 457(b) plan] to a Roth IRA, as long as you meet certain requirements.* First, you must be entitled to a distribution...

It's a vicious cycle: Money is one of the greatest causes of stress, prolonged stress can lead to serious health issues, and health issues often result in yet more financial struggles.¹ The clear connection between health and...

Do you have a child between the ages of 6-13? Read on for the facts to learn more about where money comes from, how to earn it, how to make it grow – and how to save for the things you want today or for bigger items in the future...

At any age, health care is a priority. But when you retire, you should probably focus more on health care than ever before. This is especially true for women. For adults aged 65 and over, and for adults aged 65-74 and 75-84, women were...

Would you rather have weak hands or strong hands? Most people would answer strong hands. Why would I want hands that had issues functioning and were weak? I couldn’t open doors, or type or cook! This analogy has been used in the...