Blog

27 Dec 2013 How to Make Better Resolutions

Posted at 12:15h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

Here we are once again – 'out with the old and in with the new.' We know it as a time when the gyms, sidewalks, and trails fill beyond capacity with eager new exercisers, walkers, and cyclists. Sales of tobacco, liquor, and wine plummet. Our tables are crowded with fruits and vegetables and the fatty meats and sugary desserts have become scarce.

20 Dec 2013 Some Good News This Week

Posted at 15:23h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

With their third swing at the plate the Commerce Department has increased their estimate of third quarter economic growth from 3.6 to 4.1%. The new estimate showed the gross domestic product, the broadest measure of all goods and services produced in the economy, expanding at the fastest pace since the fourth quarter of 2011 and the second-fastest since the recovery began in mid-2009, according to the WSJ.

13 Dec 2013 2014 – A Look Ahead

Posted at 14:51h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

Flying back from Rwanda earlier this week gave me hours (33 to be exact) of time to reflect on many things. When I completed notes from my meetings in Kigali, I spent some time looking ahead to next year and what we as investors might expect. While I'm usually optimistic, the logical conclusion seems to be pointing considerably more negative than positive. Odds are for a slow-down, maybe even the 'R' word.

05 Dec 2013 What the Fed Might Do Next Year

Posted at 23:59h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

Everyone on the planet who invests money is wondering if Ben Bernanke and his Federal Reserve cohorts have another off-script trick up their sleeves to wean the US capital markets and the economy from their $85 billion monthly deluges of free cash. One thing is certain - it has to end eventually, but when and how are sizing up to the biggest unknown in 2014.

22 Nov 2013 The Weekend Reader

Posted at 17:04h in Blogs by Geoff Hall, CFP®, RICP®

Welcome to the Beacon Weekend Reader: Our weekly compilation of interesting articles and videos designed to keep you informed and engaged in the areas of economics, personal finance and life. We hope you enjoy this week's edition. Please send us your thoughts on this week's articles and suggestions...

15 Nov 2013 The Weekend Reader

Posted at 16:31h in The Friday Brief by Geoff Hall, CFP®, RICP®

15 Nov 2013 “We’re Going Down”

Posted at 11:30h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

With limited information we make the best decisions we can, and for most people, most of the time, these decisions are based primarily on emotions. We do it because life is busy and we often have little time to gather sufficient facts to make more logical, and most often better, decisions.

08 Nov 2013 The Weekend Reader

Posted at 16:44h in Blogs by Geoff Hall, CFP®, RICP®

08 Nov 2013 Turbulence Ahead

Posted at 13:29h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

Reality is setting in once again for investors that the Federal Reserve can't keep funding the so-called recovery forever. Stocks sank yesterday due to stronger-than-expected domestic growth and the likelihood that European growth will soon improve spurred by a rate cut in that region yesterday.

01 Nov 2013 Why Do We Sacrifice the Best for the Good?

Posted at 13:57h in The Friday Brief by Sam Bass Jr.

Why is it so easy for us to put off doing the things we know would make life better only to continue doing the things that gratify us now? Even when we commit to long-term goals like diet, exercise, saving or planning, we marvel at how easily we are distracted by momentary temptations. The problem in a neurological nutshell is that we have a flaw built into our brains - we overvalue immediate gains at the expense of long-term opportunities or costs.