Investing in Technology Stocks
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® and Nicholas A. Ibello, CFP®, AIF® on Mon, 04/29/2019 - 13:51
If you have been investing for at least twenty years, you have seen both the good and bad times for technology stocks. The late nineties may even be considered legendary. Technology stocks rose to epic proportions and anyone that could throw a dart could pick a winner. Everyone felt like they should become full-time day traders.
Read the full article...
Commercial Real Estate Investments
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® on Mon, 04/29/2019 - 13:50
When most investors think about investing in real estate, residential real estate is the natural thought that comes to mind first. On the other hand, commercial real estate which includes the ownership or partial ownership of the office properties people work in, the retail properties people shop in, industrial buildings where products are manufactured and the hotels people stay in when they travel has become a more common investment in investors’ portfolios.
Read the full article...
What We Can Learn from the World’s Largest Bankruptcies?
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® and Nicholas A. Ibello, CFP®, AIF® on Mon, 04/29/2019 - 13:41
Originally published in the Baltimore Business Journal on March 8, 2018
The first decade of the twenty-first century was the backdrop to some of the largest bankruptcies the world has ever seen, affecting banks, insurance companies, utility companies, and retailers. No business is immune to the threat of bankruptcy; even countries, such as Argentina, have defaulted on their debt.
Despite the different industries affected, the issues that led to bankruptcy were often similar.
Read the full article...
Should You Sell or Rent Out Your Home - Nine Considerations for Homeowners
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® on Tue, 04/23/2019 - 16:39
You’ve decided to move. Your next thought might be: “Is it smarter to sell or rent out my home?” Owning a rental property can prove to be a savvy financial move. Who doesn’t want a steady source of income while building equity in an appreciating property?!
But before you decide you want to be a landlord, here are some questions to ask yourself.
Read the full article...
Retirement Planning: Can Alternative Investments Help You Weather Volatile Markets?
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® on Tue, 04/23/2019 - 15:39
When planning for retirement, you have to balance taking too much risk and too little risk with your investments. Being too conservative creates the potential risk of outliving your savings or losing purchasing power due to inflation, and, at the same time, you can’t take too much risk, since once you’re retired, there’s no easy way to make back large losses.
Read the full article...
4 Points to Consider When Selecting a Health Insurance Plan
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® on Tue, 04/23/2019 - 15:19
You know the old saying, “The only things you can be sure of in this life are death and taxes.” Well, we think that should be revised to, “The only things you can be sure of in this life are death, taxes, and rising health care costs …”
As health care costs continue to increase, choosing the right health insurance plan for you and your family is more important than ever. And due to how complicated the health care world has gotten, oftentimes, choosing the right plan can feel like navigating a minefield.
Read the full article...
Risks and Rewards: Investing in Venture Capital
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® and Nicholas A. Ibello, CFP®, AIF® on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 15:25
Originally posted in the Baltimore Business Journal on February 1, 2019
Venture capital (VC) is one of the best-known alternative investment classes. Whether we are ordering an Uber, staying in an Airbnb, riding a Peloton bike, or eating an Impossible Burger, venture-backed companies are part of our everyday life. But, for every unicorn (venture terminology for a company valued at more than $1 billion), there are scores of companies that we never hear about due to the high rate of start-up failures.
Read the full article...
We Didn’t Start the FIRE
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 15:23
Originally posted in the Baltimore Business Journal on January 4, 2019
The allure of FIRE, the acronym for Financially Independent, Retire Early, has gained popularity in the last few years, especially with the younger generation. While some may want to work “forever,” some simply want to get out of the “rat race” as soon as possible. Simply speaking, FIRE proponents believe in the idea of saving the majority of their income (by likely living very thriftily) for a decade or two and then maintaining a low-cost retirement lifestyle.
Read the full article...
5 Considerations for Starting Your Own Business
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 15:21
Starting your own business can be stressful and nerve-wracking at times, and requires well-thought-out planning. Before you start your own business, consider these 5 important factors.
Read the full article...
Retirement Planning: 3 Questions Pre-Retirees Often Overlook
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 15:19
A lot of people spend years, even decades, planning their retirement. But ironically, even with that much time, they overlook one big factor.
With the help of their financial advisors, they determine how much to save, where to invest and how much risk to take, then forecast their lifestyle and associated living expenses in retirement. However, retirement planning is more than just calculating “the numbers.”
Read the full article...