The National Association of Securities Dealers announced that they are starting investigations into six large investment firms for misconduct in the sale of 529 College Savings Plans. The NASD feels that investors were sold 529 plans that were sponsored by states other than their home state without fully comprehending that they would lose certain tax […]
These rules of thumb represent my judgment about when it generally makes sense to choose the Roth IRA. Roth IRA vs. Taxable Account One of the alternatives to a Roth IRA is a regular taxable account with a bank, mutual fund or stockbroker. Either way you get no deduction when money goes in. The Roth […]
Shifting Preferences and Corporate Policy In the 1960s and 1970s, companies paid out a significant portion of their earnings in dividends, as investors exhibited a strong preference for income. However, in the 1980s, and even more so in the 1990s, investors became unenthusiastic about dividend yields because they were dwarfed in size by the massive […]
Who’s next? Could it be CEO of AT&T Michael Armstrong or the CEO of Qwest Joseph Nacchio? The first domino to fall was Bernard Ebbers. The “icon” of the telecommunications industry. The swashbuckling CEO who presided over 60 acquisitions in 15 years for the now infamous WorldCom. This same guy also talked his board of […]
“I’m fixing a hole where the rain gets in, And stops my mind from wondering, Where it will go? I’m filling the cracks that ran through the door, And kept my mind from wondering, where it will go…” THE BEATLES I think this song by the Beatles should be the theme song for Markowski Investments. […]
First comes denial. Then sadness. And then finally anger. Putting money at risk brings out a dizzying array of mental, psychological and emotional issues for investors. And perhaps at no time are these sensitive issues more heightened than when it comes to people considering whether or not to sell an investment. Ironically, it doesn’t matter […]
The most recent volatility that we have seen in the market has finally brought some hard facts to the surface on the day-trading industry. Recent data from state and federal regulators have further advanced the ideas that we have been talking about here in the Markowski Monthly and on our national radio and television programs […]
The recent volatility we have been witnessing in the financial markets and some of the many large corrections certain sectors and companies have taken have kept our account repair department very busy as of late. Many do-it-yourself investors have taken a ferocious beating over the past few months as most of the dot com companies […]
Over the past few months, we have seen an enormous amount of volatility in the markets. Whether it is Y2k, or interest rate fears, new clients of ours have gotten a little skittish at times. We have had to do some serious handholding as of late. For all you readers who feel the sky is […]
One thing that we at Markowski Investments notice on a regular basis is how many of our clients get emotionally involved with their stocks. When we get an account transferred in from another firm by a new or existing client we give unbiased recommendations on every security held in the portfolio. More often than not […]