Month: March 2014

Stress Test Your Portfolio

Mar 27, 2014

I believe it was Peter Lynch, the legendary mutual fund manager of the Fidelity Magellan Fund that once said, “Prior to retirement have as much in stocks as you can possibly stomach, and then after retirement, have as much in stocks as you can possibly stomach.” In other words, the amount of risk you should take in the stock market, completely and without question, depends on your own personal tolerance for risk. How much risk can you stomach?  That’s the million dollar question. (more…)



Take Control of the One Thing You Can Control … YOU

Mar 4, 2014

Why do we plan a vacation? Many, if not most of us, lay out meticulous plans to ensure that our trip goes smoothly. Doing so enables us to do all the things we want to do and see all the things we want to see. But what would happen if we didn’t create a plan in advance? Might a relaxing vacation turn out not so relaxing? Might a potentially great experience turn into a frustratingly negative one? Don’t get me wrong, I know some folks live for spontaneous adventure, but I can’t imagine too many of us like to travel without some sort of plan. By setting an itinerary or planning ahead many of the main aspects of your trip, you can have your expectations become a reality and help to minimize most travel snafus. We plan because there are rewards for doing it. (more…)

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Estate Planning for the Soul

Mar 4, 2014

Society Charlotte - February Image
Final Wishes – Your Exact Order

Let’s Have Dinner and Talk About Death. No, this is not a review of Theater Charlotte’s dinner mystery entitled Wine, Chocolate & Murder (doors open at 6:30 on Saturday, February 15th), although I do hear that makes for a fun night out with your Valentine. This is going to be much more personal, and it’s my hope, that you will find it much more valuable. There is a social movement currently taking place which I think it is simply outstanding, and well worth discussing.

Are you familiar with TED Talks? If you are not, go to www.TED.com. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. It is a global set of live conferences (mini presentations) that promote “Ideas Worth Sharing”. You can find extremely interesting presentations, no longer than 10-15 mins. in duration, given by thought provoking individuals on a very wide array of topics. Its popularity has spawned other TED Channels, one of which is TED MED (www.TEDMED.com) solely focused on health and medicine. It is on this particular site that I came across “Let’s Have Dinner and Talk about Death”, presented by Michael Hebb back in April of 2013. (more…)

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Taking Out and Putting Back

Mar 4, 2014

“It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.” That’s a quote from a pretty intelligent guy by the name of Albert Einstein. It is tough to challenge just about anything that came out of his mind, but it’s probably even tougher to measure what one actually takes out of this world. We spend a lifetime of taking out. But can one spend a lifetime of putting back (or giving back)? (more…)

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More Insights

Mar 18, 2024

The year 1995 was an exciting one. Michael Jordan came back from retirement, digital video disks (DVDs) were invented, Netscape went public after introducing the world to the internet via its web browser, and Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” was the song of the year. It was also an exciting year for investors.

Mar 15, 2024

You want to retire comfortably when the time comes. You also want to help your child go to college. So how do you juggle the two? The truth is, saving for your retirement and your child or grandchild’s education at the same time can be a challenge. But take heart — you may be able … Continue reading “Saving for College and Retirement Together”

Mar 13, 2024

As spring approaches, the weather is starting to warm up. For the stock market, the temperature has been rising for a while now. In fact, since December 2023, the S&P 500 has not experienced a pullback of even 2%. Strong starts to years tend to signal more gains ahead, so this calm market may not … Continue reading “Market Update – Markets Warming Up”

Mar 11, 2024

Identity theft is a growing concern, impacting 14.4 million U.S. Consumers in 2019. Armed with your Social Security number, a criminal can use that information to commit tax- and other financial-related crimes in your name.

Mar 7, 2024

There is almost nothing stronger than the unconditional loving bond between grandparents and grandchildren. And for many grandparents, they recognize the importance of family legacies, the passing of the torch to the youngest generation.

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