12/21/11

We are getting ready for next tax season and the filing of 2011 returns.    I sent out letters to all of you who mailed me your materials and then we had a phone appointment and to those of you who filed later than 4/15 on extension. I expect to send out appointment postcards on about January 16, 2012.  My MONEYWISE newsletter was mailed to you last week.  Be sure to do the END OF YEAR CHECK.

If you make a ROTH Conversion in 2011 I remind you that you have the option to "recharacterize" before 10/1512.

The President's tax legislation passed Congress to extend the current tax rates and most provisions of the tax code for two years and to reinstate the Estate Tax in 2011 using a $5 million dollar exclusion.  There also is a provision to reduce the Social Security tax on earnings by 2% for 2011.  Who knows what Congress will do for 2012.

When it seems that financial markets are melting around us many of my clients contact me for my advice.  My advice remains the same as it has been for at least 25 years.  One of my readers noted that the article is dated in 2006.  That is when I wrote it and it hasn't changed.  If you can take a few minutes to read my investment philosophy direclty below this paragraph you will get what I think is some good advice.  To sum up, I know that we have suffered through painful financial markets so many times before.  We have smart people who can help to remedy problems after they happen.  I wish we had people with the will to prevent them from happening, but we don't.  We probably never will.  You should have money that you will need in the next 8-10 years in some sort of fixed income investments and the balance in a well diversified portfolio of equity investments (read below).  If you do, I'd say you will be O.K.  Read my Fall 2008 newsletter.  Please pay particluar interest to the artilce about guaranteed retirement income.  In the Winter 2010 issue I disucssed how to plan for withdrawing from accounts to live during your retirement years.

10/23/06

My investment philosophy.  Please click here to read my investment philosophy.  I direct you to this because I rely on this philosophy to develop an investment plan for my clients who ask me to help manage their investments.  It is certainly not the only approach to investing money.  You should align yourself with someone who has a philosophy and approach to investing that is most compatible with your own thinking.  If what I offer you isn't what you need I will certainly help you to find someone responsible and experienced who is more suitable to you.

-I am always writing about the need to plan for the inevitable. This is as good a time as any to remind you of the need to have a list of instructions, a will, a power of attorney, and a health care proxy. If you need assistance doing this, I can direct you to legal resources. I can provide the financial assistance. Here are the articles I have written on the topic back to 1997. If you want to read what I've written back to '86, let me know.
Estate Planning