#FinancialLiteracy

October 24, 2019 | Juanita Farmer, CPA

Tax Preparation vs. Tax Planning

Many people assume tax planning is the same as tax preparation but the two are actually quite different. Let’s take a closer look: What is Tax Preparation? Tax preparation is the process of preparing and filing a tax return. Generally, it is a one-time event that culminates in signing your return and finding out whether […]

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September 25, 2019 | Mark Avallone, MBA, CFP®, CRPS®, AIF®

Countering Financial Illiteracy: Practical Tips For Pre-Teens

There is a growing realization that America’s youth are not prepared to make complex, or even some daily financial decisions. And in a world where private sector pensions are becoming rare, being financially literate, understanding the role of money, and being able to save for eventual retirement is becoming increasingly important. Fortunately, some colleges are […]

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January 9, 2019 | Alvin Carlos, CFA, CFP®

Furloughed? 4 Tips to Survive the Shutdown Debacle

It’s tough not getting a paycheck. We have several clients who work for the government. Some of them have been furloughed as a result of the government shutdown. While some have ample emergency funds that they can use to tide them over, others don’t. About 29% of American households have less than $1,000 in savings. Their […]

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November 2, 2018 | Alvin Carlos, CFA, CFP®

When Markets Fall, Do This

In a matter of four weeks, the global stock market has dropped by about 10%. Should you be worried? Sam, one of our clients, called me the other day. He is typically calm, rational and not afraid of opportunities. But he sounded tense. He just saw his accounts drop in value in the thousands. He […]

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September 12, 2018 | Alvin Carlos, CFA, CFP®

Got a New Job? 4 Tips to Maximize Your Situation

Did you just start a new job? Congratulations! I hope you’ll get along with your new boss. With your higher salary and new benefits, here are four questions you might be thinking about, and tips on how to approach them. 1) What should I do with my higher salary? This is a great time to examine […]

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August 22, 2018 | Alvin Carlos, CFA, CFP®

Free Mutual Funds & Credit Freezes Are Now Here

Here are two cool recent personal finance developments that make my heart leap! 1) Credit Freeze Now Free Starting September 21, we can now freeze our credit for free! We can request a free credit freeze through Equifax, Experian and Transunion by going to their respective websites. Previously, these credit bureaus charged $5 or more […]

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June 30, 2018 | Alvin Carlos, CFA, CFP®

Switched Jobs? Learn How to Maximize Your New Benefits

Samantha just got a new job. She’s excited! It’ll be a breath of fresh air she needs, after a recent breakup. Samantha will have to make decisions on her new 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and insurance coverage. She also needs to figure out what to do with her old […]

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May 23, 2018 | Alvin Carlos, CFA, CFP®

Government Wipes Out $170,000 in Student Loan Debt of Social Worker

Many people wonder if the government will honor their word of eliminating their federal student loan debt under the loan forgiveness program. This year, we witnessed one of the first who successfully completed this program. Michael Mitchell is a 47-year old professional musician turned social worker and counseling pyschotherapist. He earned his master’s degree from […]

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April 5, 2018 | Alvin Carlos, CFA, CFP®

Amazon and an Imprudent Proposal

Two weeks ago, my client Carl (not his real name) asked me to put all of his $330,000 IRA retirement savings in Amazon. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I could not, in good conscience, implement this request. It is extremely imprudent to put all of our savings in a handful of stocks, let […]

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March 27, 2018 | Alvin Carlos, CFA, CFP®

4 Money Makers You May Be Missing Out

We’ve heard many investment success stories. The Winklevoss twins are reportedly now billionaires through their early bitcoin investments. Our uncle who invested $10,000 in Berkshire Hathaway stock in 1965 would now have $88 million. What is the latest wealth generator out there today? We’ll give you four. They’re not the get-rich-quick schemes you may be […]

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