This article really made me cringe. “68% of Americans Destroy Their Credit Before Age 30”. Specifically, 68% of Americans make “at least one major financial mistake” about age 30, which results in negative information on their credit rating. If you have financial information and a plan, however, you can avoid these problems- at any age. […]
What Presidential Primaries Teach Us About High-Dividend Stocks
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydThe New Hampshire primary results are in. Some candidates have dropped out, and supporters are scrambling to find a winner. The same thing is true with investors. As of Feb. 11th, the Standard and Poor’s index of 500 stocks is down 10.51% for the year. What about bonds? Well, here are some current yields for […]
How To End Poor Decision Making During Market Volatility
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydNo one knows enough to be a pessimist. I love this line. It’s from Wayne Dyer, the speaker and author who recently passed away. Here’s another one I like: If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. These two quotes apply to investing decisions in today’s volatile markets. […]
4 Ways That Reddit Can Help You Avoid Personal Financial Problems
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydThis article really made me cringe. “68% of Americans Destroy Their Credit Before Age 30”. Specifically, 68% of Americans make “at least one major financial mistake” about age 30, which results in negative information on their credit rating. If you have financial information and a plan, however, you can avoid these problems- at any age. […]
What Nearly Getting Crushed By A Light Pole Teaches Us About Investing
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydI don’t know if I can call what happened to me last Friday morning a “near death experience”, but it was attention getting.. Every morning, I go by a Panera about 6 blocks from my house to get coffee. While I’m in the car, I start to organize my thoughts for the day: what am […]
What Oil Price Swings Can Teach Us About Investment Sectors
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydInvestors have seen almost historic price swings in the markets. As of January 13, 2016, the Standard and Poor’s (S&P) 500 index is down over 7.5% for the year. One big impact on the market is the decline in the price of oil. Oil prices have declined by more than 60 percent since June of […]
What A Zombie Apocalypse Can Teach Us About Robo Investment Advice
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydThe demands of investors- particularly millennial investors- are dramatically changing how people find and use investment advice. One massive trend is the shift toward automated investment services, or using “robo advisors”. Is this type of service ultimately better for investors? Now, the zombie reference is an exaggeration. But it’s used to make the point that […]
How An Elevator Speech Can Explain Successful Investing
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydDon’t invest in things that you don’t understand. That’s a line from Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. The line gained popularity before and shortly after the tech bubble burst in the early 2000s. Buffett didn’t jump on the tech stock bandwagon during the 1990s for a few reasons. First, many of […]
Can’t Keep Up? How To Find Cost Basis For Your Investments (10 Links)
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydThere’s a critical issue investors face at year-end. If you sold a stock, mutual fund or bond investment, what is cost basis? You need to know the cost basis calculation to understand the gain or loss on your investment. The calculation can be confusing- and simply finding cost basis information can be a hassle. […]
What “It’s A Wonderful Life” Can Teach Us About A Bond Fund Closing
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydI’m writing this during the holiday season, so I thought I’d use Frank Capra’s brilliant film, It’s A Wonderful Life, to explain a concept. If you’re not familiar with the film, IMDB (a great site for movie fans) provides a plot summary. George Bailey manages the Building and Loan started by his father. On Christmas […]
Warning: Medicare and ACA Costs Will Impact Your Personal Finances
in Personal Finance/by Kenneth W. BoydIt doesn’t matter if you’re young, old- or some age in between: health care costs are increasing. What matters is that you understand why costs are increasing, and what the financial impact is to you. Once you have that information, you need to fit that cost increase into you personal budget. Have a question about […]