As an investment advisor of nearly 20 years, my intuition increasingly acts as an analytical shortcut. While that’s to be expected as experience accumulates, it is always comforting to see that intuition validated. This recently happened after I reviewed an academic study on retirement and the amazing value of working longer. The math at work […]
Trillions of Unprecedented Dollars
A trillion dollars is not what it used to be! That impressive figure has revealed itself in two different ways over the past few weeks. In the first case, it marks a measure of business success that is truly unparalleled in history. In the second case, it highlights a deep and growing concern about official […]
Trade Wars: An Eye for an Eye
With all that’s happening in our trade spat with China, the old saying, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”, rings ever louder in my ears with each and every tweet. To this point, the ongoing US – China trade dispute has not yet escalated to dangerous levels. With only $50 billion […]
A Tale of Language and Technology
Perhaps a little disturbingly, I’ve had a couple thoughts rattling around in my head and their common thread is none other than the Unabomber. No, I have not been reading his long-winded, half-crazed essay! Instead, I recently binge-watched the Netflix series on the long manhunt to catch him. It was a fascinating tale about both […]
Boring Markets Are Far From Simple
As I write this, I’m enjoying a short, but stark, change of scenery. Without a doubt, there’s a serious contrast between the hustle and bustle of Brooklyn and Manhattan and the tranquility of Traverse City. On one of our daily treks from our Airbnb to the nearest subway station, I overheard our 10-year old say […]
Term Life, Cheap Peace of Mind
If even one person is persuaded to call their insurance agent as a result of this column, it’ll be a big success! To help accomplish this, I encourage you to discuss this topic with your loved ones as soon as possible. Life insurance is designed to fill an economic shortfall. As a young person with […]
New Tax Law, New Money Tricks
Four months into living under the new tax law, it’s time for you to learn some new tricks that might just save you some money. Before 2018, making a charitable donation likely lowered your income and lowered your taxes. In a very real way, Uncle Sam was your partner in giving. He’s not quite the […]
Your Withdrawal Strategy in Retirement
Watch Jason P. Tank, CFA, contributing speaker for the Front Street Foundation’s Money Series, to learn about the factors that affect your withdrawal strategy in retirement. Many readers have spent decades socking away money for retirement. Naturally, the accumulation phase is very familiar ground. However, it is during the second phase, better known as the […]
The New Tax Law is Alive and Kicking
Your tax world has officially changed. Here are some of the new things you’ll see – and old things you won’t see – on your 2018 tax return. First, if your itemized deductions don’t add up to exceed the new, doubled standard deduction, your tax life will get simpler. For single filers, the new standard […]
You Get What You Get & Don’t Get Upset
In case you haven’t been paying attention, the new tax law has dramatically lowered corporate tax rates. It could be argued that corporations were the primary beneficiaries politicians had in mind. Wisely, rather than highlighting the billions slashed from their future corporate tax bills, the headline grabbing figure most often cited by companies has been […]