ReShelle Barrett, CFP® Are you over age 70 ½ and being forced to take income from your IRA? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could spread that income over future generations? Fortunately, you can. Let’s start with determining when you need to start taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). The IRS allows retirement accounts to grow […]
How Hard is Your 401(k) Working?
ReShelle Barrett, CFP® Are you one of those employees who enrolled in your company’s retirement plan and haven’t looked at the investments since? Or worse yet, haven’t even enrolled in the plan? At least once a year, many will be asked to make decisions regarding your 401(k) plan i.e. would you like to enroll in […]
Bill Few Associates, Inc. Announces Alison Wertz as New Board Member
PITTSBURGH, Pa., (January 19, 2017) — Bill Few Associates, Inc. announces the election of Alison F. Wertz, CFP®, CLU®, to the company’s Board of Directors. Alison Wertz is a Senior Vice President and financial advisor at Bill Few Associates, Inc. With more than 20 years of experience, she offers comprehensive financial planning and investment advice […]
Ward Garner talks about the publication of his new book: How To Protect My Million
Ward Garner, author of How to Protect My Million Ward Garner is on a mission. With a passion for community service and a “do the right thing” attitude he has always felt compelled to protect people. Ward is not a member of law enforcement nor would he consider himself a superhero. His profession seems […]
Bonds in a Rising Interest Rate Environment
ReShelle Barrett, CFP® Most investors believe that owning bonds means an investment with low or no risk. However, bond investments are inherently exposed to certain risks including interest rate risk. And according to most recent comments by the Federal Reserve Board, there is likely at least one interest rate increase on the agenda for this […]
Like Watching a NASCAR Race? — 3rd Quarter Financial Market Update
NASCAR is America’s biggest spectator sport in terms of attendance. For those unfamiliar with the sport, it is a form of auto racing. Its roots come from the rural south where moonshiners needed fast cars and fast drivers to transport their illegal cargo; maybe even to outrun the law on occasion. Today’s NASCAR is now […]
Xanax in the Financial Markets?
Xanax is a prescription drug that helps with anxiety and depression. It can help calm someone who is anxious or worried. I suspect the US financial markets have been taking big doses of this drug since the Brexit vote in England back in June. Per a news story in Barron’s, the S&P 500 has gone […]
How Will the Markets React to the Election?
ReShelle Barrett, CFP® I tend to get the question “How will the market react if so-and-so wins” often in presidential election years. If I had a crystal ball (and I have one on my desk but it actually only looks pretty), I would be able to answer that question. Even with historical statistics, no one […]
Election Update—Keep Calm and Carry On
Never in my thirty years as an investment manager have I sensed as much anguish over a presidential election as this year. I have heard from many of you very strong opinions of dire economic results, regardless of who wins. My hope with writing this update is to calm some of those fears and give […]
What affect would negative interest rates in the U.S. have on investors?
As published in “Financial Focus – Down The Rabbit Hole” in the summer 2016 issue of Pittsburgh Quarterly magazine. What affect would negative interest rates in the U.S. have on investors? Potential Impact of Negative Interest Rates An often-misattributed quote is, “compound interest is the greatest invention of mankind.” Whoever deserves credit for the quote […]