Ponzi Schemes, Bernie Madoff and How to make sure it won't happen to you.
Bernie Madoff was one of the most notorious investment fraudsters in history. He ran a massive Ponzi scheme that lasted for decades and resulted in billions of dollars in losses for thousands of…
What are qualified charitable distributions and the related tax code.
Charitable giving is an important part of many people's financial planning. Not only does it provide support for worthy causes, but it can also offer tax benefits. One way to maximize these benefits…
How much should risk on any one idea or stock position? Sector exposure?
Investing in the stock market is inherently risky. There are countless factors that can impact stock prices, from economic trends to corporate decisions. As an investor, it's important to manage your…
How to raise financially responsible children
Raising financially responsible children is one of the most important tasks that parents can undertake. Financial literacy is a key life skill that can set children up for long-term success and…
What is the real interest rate? What does it mean? What were market returns like when real rates were positive, negative?
The real interest rate is an essential concept in finance that measures the inflation-adjusted return on an investment. It is the nominal interest rate minus the rate of inflation. For example, if…
How does inflation affect your retirement accounts?
Inflation is a persistent rise in the prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time. It is a natural occurrence that affects everyone in the economy. Retirement accounts, including…
What Are Qualified Charitable Distributions?
If you’re making good money and you’re already investing a large portion of it, it’s also likely that you’re looking for ways to reduce your tax bill and save more of your hard-earned dollars for…
Is Life Insurance An Investment?
As we become more independent throughout adulthood and make larger purchases, insurance becomes a more important part of life. If you’re trying to purchase a home, you need to insure it to get a…
How Much Should You Risk on Any One Investment or Stock Position? What Is Sector Exposure?
When you start to invest your money, it’s difficult to determine how you should design your portfolio. Which stocks are worth the risk and which aren’t? You will often hear financial advisors say…
How Options Contracts Work & How You Can Benefit From Them
Even if you’ve been interested in investing for a while, you may not have heard about options contracts. There’s a reason for that—very few investment or financial advisors offer them to their…