Category: Investing

Setting New Year Financial Expectations

January 2, 2020 / in Behavioral, Investing / by Dennis Morton

We are at the start of a new decade. This means lists and reviews of the past year and ten years. Along with these retrospectives, we are treated to a healthy dose of predictions for what is to come (too often by financial gurus, unfortunately). This is click bait. An invitation to bog ourselves down in […]

Cost of Trading Changes

December 16, 2019 / in Investing, Role of an Advisor / by Dennis Morton

The cost of trading changes at Charles Schwab and what it means for you and your financial advisor’s business. The Shifting Ground Under Our Feet The cost of trading has hit its lower limit: $0. In the last several weeks, after Charles Schwab announced that stock trades would be free, many major custodians and banks […]

When Your Paycheck Stops

November 1, 2019 / in Investing / by Dennis Morton

Building Retirement Income It is a paralyzing feeling to stare at a lump sum payout of cash and think about investing it. If you’re like me, at some point you have received a bonus or a windfall in some form or size and thought, “I should invest this in something that will grow more than […]

Q4 Trends Affecting Investors

October 2, 2019 / in Investing / by Dennis Morton

An object in motion tends to stay in motion… The recent news flow in both politics and the markets brings to mind Newton’s first law of motion. Trends can continue in the economy long past the time when we think they might fade. Here are three Q4 trends affecting investors as we head into the fourth […]

Happy New Year!

September 17, 2019 / in Investing / by Dennis Morton

You may have heard that Labor Day is the new New Year’s Day? It’s true. The schedule is packed, and the pace of life picks up in a way that would make January envious. For us, it is no different. We have a brisk schedule of meetings, conferences, and professional presentations that keep us informed […]

The Good Old Days

September 3, 2019 / in Investing, Planning / by Dennis Morton

My house starts to go silent for a few hours this week. For the first time, all four of my kids will be in school. The oldest in eighth grade, the youngest in pre-school. It has been ‘all hands on deck’ for thirteen years, always having a baby or toddler in the house. As you might […]

Career Maker

August 27, 2019 / in Investing / by Dennis Morton

The conversation starts something like this: “I heard someone say ________ is going to happen to the stock market and I should do _______ to protect myself.” These are two distinct statements. One is a prediction, the other a prescription. Let’s talk about both sides and why big down days for the stock market are […]

“Why” Questions

August 27, 2019 / in Investing / by Dennis Morton

As we all try to understand the connections of a volatile global economy, here are some articles from outside sources that I found interesting. I thought of some “Why” questions that have been on my mind and found writers who do a nice job of providing commentary: Why is investing never easy? (Of Dollars and […]

The Cost of Safety in the Bond Market

August 13, 2019 / in Investing / by Dennis Morton

Fear helps us make choices, quickly. Without fear, the stock market would always go up and we would have no need to look for safe alternatives. If we are always making choices between growth, income, and preservation, then what do our investment options look like here in the Summer of 2019? The truth is, our […]

Buying Popular Stocks

July 24, 2019 / in Investing / by Dennis Morton

You are going to meet your financial advisor and just saw that Apple released a new iPhone and the stock has jumped. You make a note to ask your advisor two things: “How can I improve my returns? Shouldn’t I just buy more Apple?” Both questions reflect normal temptations. The desire to do something to improve our […]