Broken Bonds
August 19, 2022  | By Matt Pierce

If we’re only ever looking back we will drive ourselves insane As the friendship goes resentment grows We will walk our different ways But those are the days that bind us together, forever And those little things define us forever,…Read More

I Bonds: Thriving During Inflation
April 29, 2022  | By Manisha Gupta

Concerned about inflation, perhaps for the first time in your lifetime? For many families we work with, it’s been decades since even the adults have seen inflation rising this quickly. But, the U.S. government has a nifty, old-school instrument available…Read More

Lower cost ETFs now transaction-free on TD Ameritrade
October 25, 2017  | By Kevin Smith

Good news! Our preferred custodian, TD Ameritrade, recently announced that they are overhauling their offering of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) that trade without commissions. Here are a few key improvements: The list of ETFs that transact without trading costs will…Read More

Correlation and Portfolio Performance
August 31, 2015  | By Kevin Smith

Different types of investments are subject to different types of risk. On days when you notice that stock prices have fallen, for example, it would not be unusual to see a rally in the bond market. Asset allocation refers to…Read More

Five Ways to Manage Risk in Your Retirement Savings Plan
August 13, 2015  | By Kevin Smith

Your employer-sponsored retirement savings plan is a convenient way to help you accumulate money for retirement. Using payroll deductions, you invest for the future automatically, following that oft-noted advice to “pay yourself first.” But choosing to participate is just one…Read More

Share Class Conversions for Lower Investment Costs
January 22, 2015  | By Kevin Smith

Part of our job as financial advisors is to seek out the best investment service relative to fees for our clients. One of the many benefits of moving your accounts to TD Ameritrade is access to lower cost mutual fund…Read More

What do insurance companies invest in?
September 24, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

It is important to keep in mind what insurance companies are actually investing in when considering the features of annuities and cash value life insurance contracts. According to a paper published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in April…Read More

Highlights from PIMCO Lunch-and-Learn
June 5, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

We held an educational lunch seminar on June 4th, hosted by PIMCO, and the responses from those who attended have been very positive. We plan on providing more of these in the future for small groups. Here are some highlights……Read More

What is duration, and why should I pay attention to it?
May 20, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

The Federal Reserve’s actions over the next year could be important to bond markets, particularly if and when the Fed decides to increase its target interest rate. Since bond prices typically move in the opposite direction from yields, rising bond…Read More

What you need to know about bonds
May 3, 2013  | By Kevin Smith

I often joke that few people I meet have a strong understanding bonds because 1) bonds are boring and 2) bonds are complicated. ‘Boring and complicated’ don’t make for good movie scripts, book plots, or cocktail hour conversations. My objective…Read More