This week we Americans celebrate my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. The idea is to pause from our usual daily pursuits in order to give thanks for all of the really good stuff in life. And when I say really good stuff of course I’m talking about mashed potatoes, gravy, turkey and stuffing. No, actually those are only the “good stuff.” The “really… Read more →
Category: Financial Planning
News About Fiduciaries and Social Security
Last week the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to block the Department of Labor from implementing a fiduciary standard for retirement advisers. The proposed fiduciary standard has been supported by consumer advocates for quite a few years now, but has been opposed by some in the securities industry and the insurance industry. It would require that those who provide investment… Read more →
RMDs, COLAs, and a Question.
If you have an IRA account held at Schwab, and if you had your 70th birthday prior to July 1st of this year then you should probably begin taking your Required Minimum Distributions before the end of this year. Technically, IRS rules say that if you’ve only just turned 70 1/2 you don’t have to begin until next year, but… Read more →
Security, Securities and More.
Asset management clients of Financial Planning Associates, Inc. please note that your 3rd quarter preliminary reports have been posted to your secure folder. Our clients lost some value during the quarter, typically 5% to 7%. Because securities have been “on sale” we have been purchasing assets in those accounts where it is appropriate. In the longer term we believe this will… Read more →
Volatile Markets, Sarah, and Inflation.
Many of our clients will have noticed that some of their accounts have been accumulating cash during recent months, and that some of that cash has been used to purchase shares of securities during the past couple of weeks. This is according to plan. Normally, our clients hold securities which make periodic distributions of cash. Those distributions are not automatically… Read more →