Montgomery Community Media

According to the Huntington Bank Backpack Index, the cost of school supplies increased 88% from 2007 to 2016, and their recently released 2017 report anticipates increases of 1.0% for elementary and 4.6% for middle schoolers this coming school year. Even so, there are reasons that parents can feel good about back-to-school shopping: 1. It’s an […]

The markets continue to climb a wall of worry with only the spectre of fire and fury from a fierce conflict with North Korea dampening the enthusiasm for stocks. Interestingly, as of August 14th the South Korean stock market, as measured by the KOSPI index, was up over 16% for the past year (Source: Bloomberg), […]

When asked how he was able to be such a successful hitter, baseball great Willie Keeler famously responded “I hit them where they ain’t!” In other words, he saw an opening that others weren’t watching, and he aimed for it. Applied to investing, that same philosophy can sometimes eventually pay off. For example, consider international […]

In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens famously writes “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Today, depending on where you get your news, you might agree with either perspective. While some channels and websites report chaos, collusion, corruption, and ineptitude, others report a picture of leadership, reopened factories, promises […]

Millennials have been more comfortable with mobility and job changes than any prior generation. But with that comfort comes the responsibility of understanding employee benefits and considering the role of those benefits in your overall compensation package. Here are five important questions that recent grads can raise during the job interview process. 1. When does […]

Despite the abundance of bad news around the world and relentless headlines back home, the U.S. stock market continues to climb higher. According to BTN Research, through the first four months of 2017, the total return of the S&P 500 (i.e., through 4/28/17) is +7.2%, north of its +3.5% average return for the first 4-months […]

With many Americans completing their 2016 tax returns, it might seem early to start working on reducing your 2017 taxes. But with taxes being a drag on net investment performance, it makes sense to shelter your investments to the maximum extent possible. It’s always best to consult with your tax advisor on all tax related […]

Recently, I lost a friend to a sudden heart attack. The surviving family was face-to-face with an unplanned, difficult reality. We all know that any day can be our last, but few people make a plan for handling the financial decisions the surviving spouse or family will need to make. Avoiding the discussion around death […]

The U.S. Stock Market performance soared from the November elections until the end of February. And to borrow from a well-known phrase, March’s performance came in like a lion and is going out like a lamb. The good news is that although the Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen over 500 points as of March […]

“Neither a borrower nor a lender be; for loan oft loses both itself and friend,” famously counsels Polonius in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Today he might have said, “Neither a borrower nor co-signer be.” Co-signing on loans for friends or family members is entered into with good intentions, but many people are unaware of the risks associated […]