There are two types of investment advice available to investors; brokerage accounts and advisory accounts. The unfortunate and painful reality is that not only are investors unacquainted with the significant discrepancies between the two, they are unaware that there is a difference. In a 2006 Investor Perception Study… 54% of investors held the false belief […]
We regularly highlight and discuss many horror stories regarding the investment industry and its victims in the Markowski Monthly and the Watchdog on Wall Street Radio Show. John Donofrio, our in-house tax-professional and head of the accounting firm Donofrio Inc. tells me that similar carelessness and lack of scruples is commonplace in the wonderful world […]
Many of our clients have multiple accounts within their households. For example: you might have an individual brokerage account for you and your spouse, retirement accounts, checking, and accounts for your children etc. Managing all of these accounts can be quite complicated and often time consuming. SelectLink is a feature that clients can utilize which gives […]
Health Savings Accounts (HSA’s) have become even more attractive as savings vehicles. Changes have been implemented that will allow for increase in hundreds of dollars in taxfree contributions a year. Health Savings Accounts which we have discussed at length and offer to our clients must be coupled with high deductible health insurance. They allow for […]
It’s that time of year again. It is time for the media to roll out their yearly boilerplate pieces on “How to Improve Your Finances”, “Top Stock Picks for 2007,”and “Financial Resolutions.” Everyyear the so-called financial guru’s take to the talk show airwaves with their brilliant insight on how to turn oneself into the next […]
I am going to invent a word. Obliviousity Definition: A rapidly growing (at least to me) annoying trait of modern society and our modern workforce that embodies feckless behavior, absence of any attention to detail, and a chronic lack of pride that many workers take in their endeavors. For example: I was out to dinner […]
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 was signed into law on August 17, 2006 (PPA). The PPA brings some of the most widespread and significant changes to pension law since the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Not only does the PPA deal with pension plans, but defined contribution plans as well as […]
The Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) is one of the most useful tax-deferred retirement plans available to small companies. The SIMPLE allows for the employer and key employees maximum contributions while not necessitating the same from other workers. Self-employed individuals may have SIMPLE plans as well as small-business owners with less than 100 […]
According to the Vanguard Center for Retirement Research and the Wharton School’s Pension Research Council, Americans are letting their retirement nest eggs sit without any proper attention. The study finds that investors do not do enough to diversify their savings. The extensive study looked at more than five million people with employer-sponsored defined contribution plans […]
I love watching my son build sand castles. The determination in his face while turning over buckets of sand, the carving of tunnels with his plastic shovel, the intricate moats to keep the “bad guys” out, is priceless. I realized something while watching my son spend so much time and effort on his castle. Stephen […]