by Dave Conley on September 16, 2022.
Each and every month we get a question that is similar to the statement above. The questions are sincere but based on the assumption that one can invest in the markets painlessly. What I mean by that is I can get marketlike returns when the market is going up, then jump out of the market...
by Randy Chalmers on September 9, 2022.
South Carolina taxpayers can deduct 100% of their contributions on their state tax returns (one of only four states that offer 100% of contributions to be claimed). There are two types of 529 plans: prepaid tuition plans and education savings plans. Prepaid Tuition Plans allow the account holder to purchase credits for future use at...
by Dave Conley on September 9, 2022.
Real long term financial risk is not loss of principal but erosion of purchasing power. To maintain the purchasing power of $100 from 1926 to 2022 you would need $1,674. $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1926 would be worth $1,066,955 in 2022. These example above illustrates the REALLY long term erosion of purchasing...
by Dave Conley on August 26, 2022.
Who do you think you’ll be in a year? 5 years? 20 years? One of the big problems with setting goals, especially financial ones, is that we’re struggle with imagining our future selves. Remember what you imagined you’d be as an adult when you were a kid. I’m guessing there are some gaps between that dream and your current reality. When we talk about financial goals, we’re often talking about long timeframes.
by Randy Chalmers on August 12, 2022.
Dave Ramsey’s third Baby Step is to fully fund an emergency fund to cover your family for a three to six-month period. Have you completed this step? If so, have you paid any mind to that account since funding completion? We often get calls asking if clients should invest their emergency funds, in short, no,...
by Dave Conley on August 12, 2022.
What would Financial Peace look like in your Life? Financial peace is having the resources (time, health, money) to do the things you enjoy, with the people you love.
by Randy Chalmers on August 5, 2022.
This is a very common question among those contemplating starting their investment journey. They wonder if their $20 a week would amount to anything and if they should wait until they can invest $50 or $100 a week. Let’s look at the numbers. The minimum investment required for a balanced fund is as little as...
by Dave Conley on August 5, 2022.
We only have so much time, energy, and attention. So how do we decide where to place our focus? To figure out the answer to that question, think about what you are focusing on (fretting over). Now ask yourself two questions: 1. Does it matter? 2. Can I control it?
by Randy Chalmers on August 1, 2022.
Everyone begins their investment journey at different stages in life, however, we can all agree that the sooner you start, the better your portfolio will be in 10, 20, or even 30 years. This equates to a better life in retirement. But why invest now, when the market is down so much, and there could...
by Dave Conley on July 29, 2022.
The current episode of Fed tightening that we are living through is fundamentally different from all the others. Why? The excess money creation that fueled the surge in inflation over the past year was a one-off event that was tied directly to the trillions of dollars of fiscal "stimulus" that our politicians pumped into the economy in the wake of the COVID lockdowns. Two years ago, the renowned economist Scott Grannis said "The shutdown of the US economy will prove to be the most expensive self-inflicted injury in the history of mankind."