Retirees, Go Ahead and Spend a Little (More)

October 3, 2018 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance by Anne Kates Smith Successful savers have prospered by living below their means. Frugality often becomes a preference—sometimes to an excessive degree. It’s no secret that many Americans have not saved enough for retirement. But here’s the flip side of the coin: retirees who don’t spend enough of their savings. A recent study by …

Trade Wars

by John Gugle We have little doubt the media has caught your attention with recent trade war headlines. No one likes trade friction as it tends to stoke our worst fears of economic calamities. To date, the “trade war” has been more about hypothetical impact that can confuse and worry investors, but it has not yet led to an adverse …

Alpha Financial named to Best Financial Advisors in Charlotte & Asheville, NC for 2018 by AdvisoryHQ

RANKING & REVIEWS BEST ASHEVILLE & CHARLOTTE FINANCIAL ADVISORS 2018 Ranking | How Do You Find a Reputable Financial Advisor in Charlotte or Asheville? Charlotte and Asheville are two areas in North Carolina where wealth is growing quickly, and there is an increasing need for Charlotte wealth management firms and Asheville wealth management firms. Clients need a Charlotte financial advisor …

Advisers use tax planning as a hook to find more clients

March 9, 2018 InvestmentNews by Jeff Benjamin Most tax professionals will acknowledge that the eight weeks leading up to April 15 is the most exhausting time of year. But some financial advisers are still willing to jump into the grind of tax season because it represents a near-certain gateway to a sturdier and more diversified planning business. “I refer to this time …

The Journey: List of best 401(k) plans doesn’t tell whole story

March 5, 2018 Crescent-News by Janet Kidd-Stewart Tribune News Service (TNS)   Airline workers have the best 401(k) retirement plans, a new study claims, but that’s little comfort to Capt. Mike Burr, a 60-year-old American Airlines pilot still on the job after years of contract concessions, pay cuts, a pension freeze and a 2011 bankruptcy filing. Delta, American, United and …

How to Talk to Clients with Market Jitters

February 22, 2018 Barron’s While most advisors recognize that volatility can be a good thing, many clients don’t share the same opinion. But calling them with rout advice about how to weather the storm isn’t necessarily the best course of action. That’s according to several veteran advisors interviewed by Financial Advisor. “It’s important to always be in front of the conversation …

Three high-tax states sue to fight legislation that cuts deductions

January 26, 2018 NBC News by Ben Popken Homeowners in areas with high state and local property taxes are hopping mad after the new federal tax bill passed — and now Democratic governors in some of those states are fighting back. New Jersey and Connecticut joined New York in suing the federal government over the new GOP-led tax overhaul plan …

Which comes first: The kid or the 529 account?

December 11, 2017 FinancialPlanning by James Thorne When Sara Stanich was pregnant for the first time, her unborn child already had a college savings account. Stanich had received a gift from her in-laws and wanted to put the money toward college savings. She looked at the rules for 529 accounts, which allow for tax-free growth on savings for qualified higher …

David Herro’s Record Shows Some Stock Pickers Do Beat the Index

September 29, 2017 Bloomberg by Charles Stein   David Herro’s mutual fund lost 9.7 percent on June 24, 2016 — a huge one-day drop for a diversified portfolio. British voters had just approved Brexit and investors deemed it a disaster for European banks, a big part of Herro’s Oakmark International Fund. Herro disagreed. “I don’t think the intrinsic value of these …