January 23, 2012 | 2011 has been a year of legislative stalemate, uncertainty, and overwhelming concern about the budget deficit. One thing is certain; however: without major, new legislation, the so-called Bush-era tax cuts are set to expire at the end of 2012. But what, exactly, are the Bush tax cuts and what happens when they expire at the end of 2012? Here's a primer.
January 23, 2012 | If mood-boosting shopping sprees and racking up credit card rewards are a part of your lifestyle, you could be fueling a dangerous debt addiction. Results of Card Hub's latest credit card debt study show that Americans accumulated $18.4 billion in credit card debt in the second quarter of 2011 alone. Credit card debt continues to be a major problem for the average American consumer, yet many are still living a lifestyle that supports a costly debt habit.
January 18, 2012 | Matt Krantz of USA Today, writes in this article that it was well understood by many that the investment returns for government bonds were not to be as good as they have been, particularly in 2011. He asks, “When is this much-anticipated “great correction” coming?” Well, it didn’t happen in 2011. In fact, 2011 was a very good year to be holding bonds.
January 9, 2012 | Bill Miller is one of the most closely watched money managers in the industry, so it was big news when he announced his decision to step down as portfolio manager of Legg Mason Capital Management Value Trust (LMVTX) in 2012. His departure also adds an intriguing chapter to the long running debate regarding the value of active stock selection.
January 4, 2012 | Even with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index down 19 percent since the bursting of the technology bubble in 2000, it’s been no lost decade for stocks.
January 1, 2012 | You may have celebrated the new year in 2000 more worried about whether your computer would work than whether you'd have enough for retirement. After all, you'd been saving diligently, and returns from stocks and bonds were spectacular. The upcoming new year may find you far less confident than you were going into 2000. Stock returns have been wretched. You may be able to save less, either because you're squeezed by the cost of living, or because you've had to take a lower-paying job.
Top 10 Estate Planning Mistakes (Part 1 of 2)
January 23, 2012 | When we review estate plans, there are some common mistakes we come across. You may think some of these are obvious, but we have seen them enough to assure you that they are not. Here is our list of the 10 mistakes we see most often.