The Most Important Metric To Track For Financial Independence

Every few years, investors seem to find some scheme to try to get rich. Most recently, it’s been Bitcoin. After advising hundreds of wealthy individuals and families over the past two decades, I have found one ratio that has been key to allow them to accumulate AND preserve wealth.

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Unreasonable?

The 5th circuit court recently ruled that the Labor Department’s rule requiring financial advisors to act as a fiduciary to an investor’s retirement savings is “unreasonable.” What did the rule actually say that made it unreasonable? Basically, when dealing with an investor’s retirement savings, a financial advisor must act in the client’s best interest.

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How Poker Can Make Us Better Decision Makers

Poker is all about consistently making great decisions. Winning is a byproduct of that decision-making.  It doesn’t happen every time, but you can tilt the probabilities in your favor. 

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How Much Should You Sacrifice Today To Ensure A Secure Tomorrow?

Every few months, you are sure to run across an article talking about the woefully inept savings rate plaguing our country. The data is disheartening. Collectively we save about 3% of our income. Just 30 years ago, the personal savings rate was triple where it is today. So, why do we have such a hard time saving for the future?

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The Dirty Little Secret About Warren Buffet’s Bet With A Hedge Fund Manager

Warren Buffet made a bet with a hedge fund manager that just ended. The bet was pretty simple. Put up $1 million and pick the best investment for a 10 year period (bet started on 1/1/2008). The winner would give the $1 million to the charity of their choice. 

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Are You A 1%’er?

The IRS recently released a report with some interesting data on income trends in America. As you would expect, it takes a lot to get in the top 1% of all taxpayers. Here are some of the stats.

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What If Investment Performance Was Based On Luck?

Part of our job as advisors is to help clients select the best investment vehicles available to them.  Many of our clients initially believe that involves picking funds with the best performing managers in the future.  Ideally, they would be right.

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Playing Defense

Sometimes winning is not always pretty. Everyone enjoys a high-scoring sports game with exciting offensive plays. With the current record run on Wall Street in one of the greatest, if not the greatest advance in history, the markets have certainly provided investors their fair share of excitement.

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The Unintended Consequences Of The Tax Law

With the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, millions of Americans will see two broad themes. First, personal exemptions are eliminated and itemized deductions are being curbed with the reduction in the state and local tax deduction. Individuals are finding that their taxable income is going to be higher in 2018.

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