Blog

02 Jan 2015

Posted at 14:11h in The Friday Brief by
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

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

12 Dec 2014

Posted at 13:46h in The Friday Brief by
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

Posted at 13:11h in The Friday Brief by
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

Posted at 14:36h in The Friday Brief by
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

Posted at 10:09h in The Friday Brief by
"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.

07 Nov 2014

Posted at 14:28h in The Friday Brief by
I got my first job when I was 8, selling The Pilot (Moore County's local newspaper) to businesses near my home 50 or so miles south of Raleigh. The gig was super simple in those times: I bought each paper for 30 cents and sold it for 50 cents. For four years, I sold the paper three days a week, earning a profit of 20 cents on every paper I sold.