Our Commentary

  With Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRAs”) among the largest investment assets left to heirs, deciding what to do with an inherited IRA is one of the most important decisions facing many account owners.  Inheriting a traditional IRA provides a unique opportunity to continue tax-deferred investing.  Over time, that tax advantage can dramatically increase the value […]

  In last week’s column, I discussed how establishing a sound financial footing will also provide a strong foundation for a great marriage.  That’s especially important because more than 75% of marriage difficulties have some roots in financial problems.  When couples share common financial goals and work as a team to reach those goals, the […]

      June marks the official kick-off for the wedding season when many young couples will begin a new life together.  Newlyweds face numerous changes, particularly during their first year of marriage…mostly good changes but some challenging ones as well.  One of the more difficult changes often relates to the best way to mesh […]

  While many teens are adept at using the ATM machine, few are prepared to take control of their personal finances once they are ‘on their on’ at college. Particularly if your son or daughter is attending school far from home, it’s important that he or she be able to handle financial basics without your […]

  As a financial advisor, I tend to focus on the big picture. I want our clients to have enough funds to send their children to college, to save for retirement, to buy a home, to have money to cover unexpected bills and generally to have peace of mind about their finances. Every once in […]

Over the past two weeks, I have reviewed key elements of the new bankruptcy law signed by President Bush last month.  In the first article, I discussed how the new law will make it very difficult to qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and thereby wipe out your debts and give you a fresh start.  Instead, […]

Over the past two weeks, I have reviewed key elements of the new bankruptcy law signed by President Bush last month.  In the first article, I discussed how the new law will make it very difficult to qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and thereby wipe out your debts and give you a fresh start.  Instead, […]

Last week, I discussed the new bankruptcy law signed by President Bush and how the law would make it much more difficult for people to wipe out their debts by filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy.  Under the new regulations, in most cases, they will be forced to go on a repayment plan (Chapter 13 bankruptcy).  An […]

  Erasing debts by filing for bankruptcy is about to get much tougher. The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 was signed by the President this week. This new law will sharply reduce the number of people eligible to relinquish their debts through bankruptcy.   Currently, individuals file for bankruptcy under Chapter […]

Last week, I wrote about investing ‘into’ an IRA. One of our California clients called with questions about taking money ‘out of’ an IRA early.  This question is a good one because most people aren’t sure what the rules are.  I will explain them—one at a time–because the rules are slightly different for a Traditional […]