Default Settings

I recently attended a benefits presentation hosted by my employer.  It seems that we are changing HR/payroll outsourcers and as part of the transition we were engaging the annual selections process earlier than is typical.  We are also using this transition as a convenient time to alter our overall benefits package. In fairness, I still consider myself new, and I’m pleased with the package but...

$8,000 First-time Homebuyer Refundable Tax Credit

If you’ve been reading here long, you might guess that I am no fan of social programs.  However, I am a fan of taking advantage of opportunities as they are provided… provided your use of such  offerings is moving you in a positive direction.  A personal example I’ll share related to Obama’s spending plan or stimulus attempt back in the first of the year.  Part of this...

CD Ladders – My Take

A few weeks ago a friend wrote an article about his experience with his CD Ladder.  That article led to a comment, a follow-up article, and a promise from me to craft an article sharing my opinion and perspective on the topic.  Today, I (finally) make good on that commitment. So you ask, what the heck is a CD Ladder?  Great question.  It was not that long ago that I asked the very same question. ...

Note to Self

Ok, the next time I go to the grocery story, I need to pick up a gallon of milk, carton of eggs, a loaf of bread, and… When I’m out running errands I need to drop off my dry cleaning, pick-up an ink cartridge, find a box of those energy efficient light bulbs, and… When the economy picks back up I’ll need to remember that recessionary living, with its high unemployment and depressed...

You Make the Call

Try as we may, we don’t always make the best decisions.  We may improve our odds by creating rules and other criteria to evaluate our options but even in the best of times these rules may develop bends in the direction of our wants. Sure, every rule has its exception, but likewise, the justification slope is a slippery beast. So with that backdrop, allow me to share a recent financial decision...

Lessons from the Great Depression

“The Biggest Recession since the Great Depression” seems to be a favored storyline and the media has certainly had its fun with the premise.  Yet so much of it is tired and breathless drivel. But featured in the May issue of Smart Money is a smartly correlated discussion of the then and now. The idea is simple and elegant and seemingly impossible:  Find former brokers that actually...