Blog

23 Jan 2015 How to Win the Investment Game

Posted at 14:46h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

Today's post marks a milestone for the Friday Brief as the 600th issue of a weekly series that dates back to June 29, 2001. Thank you so much for your loyal readership. In appreciation, I'd like to share some pearls of investment and planning wisdom picked...

16 Jan 2015 Uncertainty Is Not The Same Thing As Risk

Posted at 08:35h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

At Beacon, we are big fans of Seth Godin, a marketing genius and prolific author and blogger. While Seth usually speaks the lingo of creative and marketing folks, his message resonates remarkably well with the rest of us. Take for instance the following recent post entitled...

09 Jan 2015 Why do falling oil prices rattle investors?

Posted at 11:27h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

So why in the world did stock prices fall faster and further on Monday than they have in months on what most would call good news that oil prices were now below $50 per barrel? It is an interesting question, and the answers become more interesting the deeper we drill (sorry).

02 Jan 2015 How Much of Your Portfolio is in the Stock Market?

Posted at 14:11h in The Friday Brief by Geoff Hall, CFP®

2014 marked another good year for the stock market. With a 13.7% gain including dividends, the S&P 500 finished in positive territory for the sixth year in a row. The market never goes up in a straight line and 2014 was no different. Several major geopolitical events including Ebola, ISIS, plummeting oil prices and the Russian invasion of Ukraine caused volatility during the year. In fact, the S&P 500 fell 7.2% from its September 18 peak before bouncing back in late October and November. Here's a chart of the S&P 500's 2014.

26 Dec 2014 A 2015 Resolution

Posted at 15:39h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

As 2014 draws to a close, we remember its challenges, victories, and defeats, but when we reflect more deeply, we realize how important are the relationships we shared them with. Accomplishments mean little if we cannot enjoy them with our friends. And challenges become more bearable with the support of those who care.

19 Dec 2014 Two Things: “Thank You” and Haiku

Posted at 15:29h in The Friday Brief by Jared Korver, CPA, CFP®

Sketch by Carl Richards of Behavior Gap We have so much to be thankful for here at Beacon, and in the very center of that sense of gratefulness is You. We consider ourselves blessed to be in the position of walking alongside you as you craft a...

12 Dec 2014 Is Your Financial House in Order?

Posted at 13:46h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

Which of the following do you believe is the most important aspect of ensuring the quality of your financial future?

A. Saving diligently B. Working longer D. Achieving better-than-market returns E. Designing an efficient well-allocated portfolio F. Excellent financial planning G. Winning the lottery H. None of the above

05 Dec 2014 8 Financial Planning Tips for Year-End

Posted at 13:11h in The Friday Brief by Jared Korver, CPA, CFP®

It hardly seems possible (is it a tryptophan-induced illusion?), but somehow Thanksgiving is in the past and Christmas will be here in less than three weeks. That sentence is not meant to cause widespread panic among our readers who haven't even begun to think about holiday shopping, though we would understand if it did. Thank goodness for the Internet, right?

21 Nov 2014 Every Day and Night Matters

Posted at 14:36h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

If you could be assured of confidently reaching or exceeding every financial goal you value while living a lifestyle that demands as little personal sacrifice as possible, would you be interested? Your immediate response was probably 'of course I would.' Who wouldn't right? But while everyone wants to reach their ideal aspirations, few behave in ways that are likely to get them there.

14 Nov 2014 Trust Stocks, Not the Middle Men

Posted at 10:09h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

"I don’t trust stocks. They are uncertain, and if you ask five different financial advisors you will get five very different answers about how to deal with their uncertainty." This declaration, recently made by a young prospective client during a meeting requested by her, at the urging of a friend and client of ours, reveals the deep frustration and fear many have regarding stock investing. Her earnestness to invest wisely her family's hard-earned savings was evident, but a product-focused financial services industry had all but destroyed her confidence in the wealth-creating power of the stock markets.