The first change that I would like to tell you about has to do with my function as a Missouri insurance producer.¹ I have been a licensed Missouri insurance producer since 1979, licensed to kill. No, wait. That’s not right. That’s James Bond. My licenses allowed me to sell insurance products in the state of Missouri, but not to kill. As of… Read more →
Category: Financial Planning
Your 2014/2015 IRA Contributions, 1st Quarter Reports and Improvements in Technology.
Have you made your IRA contribution for 2014? You can do so now through April 15. Call us at 636.527.5010 if you have questions. Did you know that you don’t have to wait until the following year to make your IRA contribution? You can make your 2015 IRA contribution now. In most cases making your contribution earlier results in a larger… Read more →
A Tale of Two Clients, Some Other Stuff, and a Thanksgiving Prayer.
Do you remember how it felt to be a common stock investor during the last 5 years of the 20th century? It felt good. Very good, in fact. The total return of the S&P 500 stock index was 26.39% per year from January 1st, 1996 to December 31st, 1999. Every investor was a stock picking genius. People retired early. One… Read more →
Retirement contribution limits, QLACs, a case of fraud and the circle of life.
The IRS recently announced adjustments to retirement plan contribution limits. In 2015 the elective deferral limit for 401(k) participants will be increased to $18,000. Most similar plans, 403(b), 457, etc. will allow increased contribution limits as well. The catch-up contribution limit for employees age 50 and over will increase to $6,000. Therefore, older employees can defer as much as $24,000 next… Read more →
The Gold Standard, Alpha, Beta, and now…Gamma.
Question: Should the US return to the gold standard, so that the Fed can’t “create money out of thin air”? To answer that question David Andolfatto, Vice President and Economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis recently published a piece entitled, The Gold Standard and Price Inflation. You can view it here. The author cites an historical example… Read more →