Investment Solutions
Planning for the future can be scary. We understand that before making investment choices you want to know what you're getting into, how it will benefit you, and what are the risks. We put together a full comprehensive analysis for EVERY client before making any recommendations, and we will explain everything in language that makes sense to even the most novice of investors. Some of the areas that we work closely in are:
We'll answer all of your questions, and show you what to do. The money puzzle may seem like a difficult task to complete, but with the help of a trusted adviser you'll have the pieces in place in no time.
One of the easiest ways to put your mind at ease is to have a comprehensive analysis of your current investment program completed so that you can play an active part in hitting your goals. Millions of people have IRA's and 401K's, but many of them have no idea how well their accounts are performing, or even if they have made the right investment choices. Knowing the difference between different types of funds can mean the difference of tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in retirement. For example, do you know the
"Rule of 72?"
Saving for College
Many parents dream of sending their child off to the best schools; however, at last glance the cost of higher education is not going down--it's going up, and fast! Starting early is the key to helping to pay for your child's education. For example, a 529 plan with a $100 per month investment started before your child's 1st birthday would grow to almost $100,000 by the time your child is ready for college. By comparison, wait just 5 years and you would have to save $430 a month to get to that amount. As you can see, it really pays to get started early!
Tip of the Week
Why is
dollar-cost averaging a good long-term strategy? Stock prices can be volatile, rising and falling from week to week and month to month. When you make a weekly or monthly purchase, the price of the stock may be higher or lower than it was the month before. If you invest $100 a month, for example, then your $100 will buy fewer shares when the price is high and more shares when the price is low -- automatically. While dollar-cost averaging doesn't assure a profit, over time the average cost of your shares will generally tend to be lower than if you had made a single one-time investment of the same amount.
You might be using dollar-cost averaging right now without even knowing it. If you invest in a 401(k) or other retirement plan at work, you contribute a fixed amount each pay period to your account, which is then used to buy shares in one or more mutual funds. Over time, your regular purchases will probably reduce the average cost you pay for all your shares -- and that can help increase your returns. This short video clip explains the concept of DCA in simple terms: