Roth vs. Traditional. It’s a debate as old as time. Well, not really – but it’s an important financial planning question. Most of the time, I’m a big advocate for the Roth for most people. How come? With a Roth, you literally save more money. Yes, but Jon, what about the optimal strategy where you […]
The Blog
There’s So Much Good Information Out There
You know you’ve made it when you’re on a podcast. I say this joking, as I now have the pleasure of announcing my new role as co-host on the Stay Wealth San Diego podcast. You can check out the episode below: As I was reviewing the episode (you’re allowed to listen to your own podcast, right?), it […]
Spend Less or Save More?
I was sitting in on a presentation by Nobel Laurette Robert Merton who made the comment that not saving enough money (insufficient savings) is the same thing as spending too much money. Given a fixed income, saving more money means spending less money. And spending less means saving more. Income = Spending + Savings So, telling […]
Looking at Everything: Or Why High-Yield Bonds are a Garbage Asset Class
I remember when I was first learning about investing. I was having a conversation with another advisor about high-yield bonds. His approach went something like this: Live off the coupon! If you hold the high-yield bonds forever, who cares if the bonds fluctuate in value!? Don’t Evaluate Assets in Isolation The above logic is rife […]
Buying Four Books of Business: Interview with Richard Fogg
Richard Fogg is President of Pacific Coast Financial Planning Group, an Ameriprise Advisor firm. In his 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, Richard has purchased four distinct financial advisor client books – and has even sold a portion of his own client book as well. In my interview with Fogg, I learned […]
Succession Planning Case Study: Bradley Shammas
Bradley Shammas’s began his career at Conaway & Conaway. There, he worked for six years as a paraplanner. Conaway & Conaway sold a variety of commissioned financial products. They also charged financial planning for a fee. The firm hit an issue with compliance that required a break-up of the company. As part of that break-up, Shammas launched […]