When Should I Exercise My Stock Options or Sell My Restricted Stock?
This is a common question that our executive clients ask on a regular basis. Without proper planning, the question of when to exercise and/or sell can be very complex and there is no easy answer. On the other hand, with proper planning, the answer to this question almost always becomes effortlessly apparent to both our clients and us.
San Diego State University and The College For Financial Planning Recognized for Excellence
Chris, Ellen and I were gratified to learn that both San Diego State University and The College for Financial Planning were named as two of 10 standout financial planning educational schools. Chris and Ellen are both graduates of SDSU and I am a graduate of The College for Financial Planning.
Bob Rodriguez’s Speech – “Caution: Danger Ahead”
In a period of rapidly rising stock markets, it is important to continue to pay attention to risk. Robert (Bob) Rodriguez of the FPA funds is one of those people whose views you do not want to dismiss lightly, and right now he is not at all bullish on his long-term view of the world economy. We already covered his speech in an email to our clients, and now we are posting a condensed version of that discussion here.
Social Security: How to Figure Out Your Benefit
This post is a follow up to my November post entitled “Notice Something Missing from Social Security this Year?“. Today, there is still no way to get a paper estimate of your retirement benefits if you are under age 60. Luckily, there are a few online tools the Social Security Administration provides that can help:
Investing Essentials: Fundamental Skills Lead to Success
As many of you know, I played basketball in college and in Europe after graduating from college. I was always known as a very smart and fundamentally sound player. I could shoot, pass, dribble, rebound and play defense equally well. As a young player growing up, I had good coaches who helped me work diligently to master the fundamentals of the game.
Every game, profession or skill has its essential fundamentals that must be mastered in order to excel, and successful investing is no exception. The following five fundamentals are essential in investing:
Managing Family Wealth: Are Your Kids Up to the Task?
“How do we transfer money to our children without paying hefty taxes?” This is a common question from parents who wish to safeguard their children’s financial future. Sure, we most likely have answers to this question and your estate planner will come up with many strategies as well. However, whether the transferred wealth will indeed achieve your goal of taking care of your children is still in question.
The key is not the dollar amount your children are given, but whether they are equipped with solid financial literacy that will enable them to intelligently and effectively manage the wealth they receive. We know that teaching financial literacy is no easy task and many parents may find it frustrating and confusing; so here are a couple books that will provide you some guidance in this area.
Inventory for Homeowners Insurance – 5 Tips
Why make an inventory?
A few years ago, a friend of mine had many of his possessions stolen from his car while moving between apartments. He didn’t have an inventory or photos to make a renter’s insurance claim. Luckily though, he was able to use his credit card statements from prior years to replace most of his stuff.
You have no doubt been told to “write down an inventory of your household items in case of a disaster or theft” – and as I learned from my friend, it’s especially important if your household possessions are made up of gifts, heirlooms, antiques, or items purchased with cash.
Putting together an inventory is good advice, but how many of us actually do it?
Mental Missteps – 3 Questions Worth Re-examining
Several weeks ago we celebrated our son’s birth, and since then we’ve been lucky to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. I would find myself asking the same questions over and over… the very ones that behavioral economists warn you about when it comes to financial and investing decisions.
The Foundation of Wealth – Savvy Cash Management
Happy New Year! January 23rd, 2012 marks the beginning of the year of the dragon according to the Chinese zodiac; the dragon year is said to bring prosperity and good fortune to everyone. Although good fortune may have something to do with one’s wealth, we believe that a solid foundation built on intelligent, efficient cash management is one of the greatest keys to success for all of us. Since there is no better time to work on your new year’s resolutions than now, we’d like to discuss a few cash management tools that you may want to consider using when refining your household budgets for the new year.
Experience & Youth – The Perfect Combination
Jonathan Burton of The Wall Street Journal recently wrote an article entitled, “Older but Wiser: Middle Age Is a Prime Time for Finance”. In the article he cites scientific research on cognitive function that paints middle age as something of a golden age. He asserts that not only financial judgment, but social skills and general well-being reach a zenith as people cross the half-century mark.
