The Simple Truth (Blog)
Welcome to a place that is free from the bias of Wall Street. A blog devoted to providing information that gives you the very best chance for success. Where we pull back the curtains to reveal what really matters. Where you can find answers, without getting a hidden agenda in return.
Tax Changes & Charitable Giving: Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
With standard deductions nearly doubling under the new tax law, far fewer taxpayers are expected to itemize in coming years. Given this change, how should taxpayers approach charitable giving?
read moreBonds – License to Chill
Last month, the Federal Open Market Committee raised the fed funds rate a quarter point to a range of 1.50% to 1.75%. It is the first hike this year and the sixth since 2015 when the Fed began reversing the accommodative measures implemented in the wake of 2008’s “Great Recession.” Even though bond prices decline as interest rates increase, there is a quantum of solace.
read moreTiming is Everything?
With markets in a constant state of flux, many investors are asking themselves, is now the right time to invest? We say: timing is everything—but not in the way you may think.
read moreShould I Pay Off My Mortgage?
Paying off a mortgage might sound like the American dream, but is getting rid of those monthly payments a wise financial move? Here are three options to consider.
read moreDon’t Bail Out; Buckle Up
Recent stock market turbulence has again captured investors’ attention. But market volatility is the rule, not the exception. Capturing these returns requires discipline and patience.
read moreDoes it Pay to Diversify?
We’ve all met him – the Reluctant Diversifier. Despite the evidence that diversification is the single best way to protect and grow wealth over the long term, this investor continues to resist his adviser’s recommendation to diversify.
read moreDon’t Let Behavioral Biases Dash Discipline
Economic models assume humans make rational choices, but University of Chicago economist Richard Thaler isn’t having any of it. With wild swings in the market this month, investors and their rationality have never been tested more.
read moreShould We Own Bitcoin?
Q: We’re hearing a lot about Bitcoin lately. Are we missing out on something big? Should we own Bitcoin?
A: In a word, no.
Buffett Wins the Bet
In a widely publicized bet with hedge fund manager Ted Seides, Warren Buffett wagered $1 million in 2008 that Vanguard’s S&P 500 Index Fund would deliver better returns over a ten-year period than hedge funds handpicked by Seides. The results of Buffett’s bet are in, and guess who’s doing the happy dance?
read moreA Primer on the New Tax Law Changes
While it is too soon to grasp the full implications of the new tax law—the first significant revision to U.S. tax law since 1986—individuals and corporations will be affected by the changes starting this year. Here are some of the key changes that will go into effect.
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