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Call the Safe Money Guy: My Road Sign Epiphany

May 2, 2013 By 4 Comments
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English: Beware of warthogs road sign near Wat...

On a recent drive on the Tollway through the far South end of Chicago near the Indiana state line all of a sudden there it was the solution to all of the financial planning issues that I help clients deal with.  There was my financial epiphany, a road sign urging drivers to “Call the Safe Money Guy.”

Call me cynical, but I generally want to check to make sure my wallet is still in my pocket when I see a sales gimmick on the order of “The Safe Money Guy” advertised.

Sadly I was moving too fast to get the name of the firm so I am forced to dig into my vivid imagination to offer my thoughts on this and similar financial services marketing approaches.

Using 2008-2009 market drop as a sales tool 

I think the whole idea of using fear-mongering as an annuity sales tactic is reprehensible, which is what I’m guessing this guy is doing.  The pitch often goes something like this:

Fed up with the volatility in the stock market?  Tired of the guys on Wall Street making all of the money?  Invest for peace of mind and protect your principal.  Call us. 

So what’s wrong with this?  Far too often the annuity or insurance product being sold carries high ongoing expenses, onerous surrender fees, and returns that often don’t look all that great when you “peel back the onion” and take a hard look at the underlying product.  This pitch is common for Equity Index Annuities, a product that prompted even FINRA to post a warning page on its site.

Leading with a product vs. a plan 

My real beef with this approach and similar ones is that they lead with the sale of financial products instead of a financial plan.   How can anyone recommend any financial product to a client without first understanding in great detail the client’s goals, risk tolerance, and their overall financial situation?

Safe from what? 

Many investors would equate safety with having little or no chance of losing money on their investments.  That’s certainly one definition.  Let me offer a few other “safety” features you might find in some of the products sold in this fashion:

  • Safety from low cost investment vehicles.
  • Safety from the returns that might be needed to achieve your longer-term financial goals.  Over the years I have stressed the point to those planning for their retirement that the biggest single risk they face is from the ravages of inflation eroding the purchasing power of their hest-egg.  I’m not advocating that folks take more investment risk than is appropriate for them, I am advocating that they balance the need for growth to stay ahead of inflation against the bunker mentality being sold by some fear-monger financial sales types.
  • Safety from product transparency.  Anyone who has ever read an annuity or insurance contract can attest to this.
  • Safety from advisor compensation that is clearly defined and based only on financial advice provided.

Look I’m not against either life insurance or annuities.  They can both have a place in a well-constructed financial plan.   There are many folks who sell annuity and insurance products who are diligent and who do a great job for their clients.  Sadly there are others who use what I consider to be some questionable sales tactics.

The recent PBS Frontline documentary The Retirement Gamble served to highlight the high fees that are rampant in some retirement plans.  The same diligence needs to be applied by retirement savers and all investors outside of their company retirement plans.

If working with a financial advisor is right for you, choose a financial advisor who puts your interests first, who understands your needs, and who can recommend financial strategies and products to implement those strategies that are right for you, not those that put the most money in their pockets.

Please feel free to contact me with your retirement planning and investing questions.   Check out our Financial Planning and Investment Advice for Individuals page for more information about our services.    

Photo credit:  Wikipedia

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Am I on Track for Retirement?

March 20, 2013 By 4 Comments
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English: Scanned image of author's US Social S...

As a financial planner the question that I am most often asked is some version of “Can I Retire?”  The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) recently released its latest Retirement Confidence Survey.  The results were depressing to say the least; overall retirement confidence is at record lows among those questioned in EBRI’s 23rd annual survey. Are you on track to a comfortable retirement?  It is essential that Baby Boomers and others approaching retirement address this issue.

Ask yourself a few questions:

What kind of lifestyle do you want in retirement?

You’ll find general rules of thumb indicating you need anywhere from 70% to more than 100% of your pre-retirement income during retirement. Take a look at your individual circumstances and what you plan to do in retirement.

  • Will your mortgage be paid off?
  • Do you plan to travel?
  • Will you live in an area with a relatively high or low cost of living?

Remember spending during retirement is not uniform.  You will likely be more active earlier in your retirement.  Though you may spend less on activities as you age, it is likely that your medical costs will increase as you age.

How much can you expect from Social Security?

Social Security benefits were never designed to be the sole source of retirement income, but they are still a valuable source of retirement income. Those with lower incomes will find that Social Security replaces a higher percentage of their pre-retirement income than those with higher incomes.

What other sources of retirement income will you have?

Other potential sources of retirement income might include a defined-benefit pension plan; individual retirement accounts (IRAs); your retirement plan, and your spouse’s retirement plan. If you have other investments, it is important to have a strategy that maximizes these assets for your retirement.

If you are fortunate enough to be covered by a workplace pension, be sure to understand how much you will receive at various ages.  Look at your options in terms of survivor benefits should you predecease your spouse.  If you have the option to take a lump-sum distribution it might make sense to roll this over to an IRA.  Also determine if your employer offers any sort of insurance coverage for retirees. 

Where does this leave me? 

At this point let’s take a look at where you are.  We’ll assume that you determine that you need $100,000 per year to cover your retirement needs on a gross (before taxes are paid) basis.  Let’s assume also that your combined Social Security will be $30,000 per year and that there will be $20,000 in pension income.  The retirement gap is:

Amount Needed

$100,000

Social Security

30,000

Pension

20,000

Gap to be filled from other sources

$50,000

 

Where will this $50,000 come from?  The most likely source is your retirement savings.  This might include 401(k)s, IRAs, taxable accounts, self-employment retirement accounts, the sale of a business, and inheritance, earnings during retirement, or other sources. 

My fellow NAPFA member Bill Bengen states that most retirees can safely withdraw 4% of their initial nest egg and expect to have their money last them for at least 30 years.  What does this mean?

In order to generate $50,000 per year you would need a lump sum of $1.2 million at retirement.

Everybody’s circumstances are different.  Many of us do not have a pension or even a workplace retirement plan.

Take a look at where you stand and take action 

While the low retirement confidence numbers in the EBRI Survey may be due in some part to the poor economic conditions we have experienced in recent years, I suspect some of this is due to a lack of planning as well.

Some steps that you can take if you feel that you are behind include:

  • Save as much as possible in your 401(k) or other workplace retirement plan
  • Contribute to an IRA
  • If you are self-employed start a retirement plan for yourself
  • Keep your spending in check
  • Scale back on your lifestyle if needed
  • Plan to delay your retirement or to work part-time during retirement

Providing for a comfortable retirement takes planning. Don’t be lulled into thinking your 401(k) plan alone will be enough.  If you haven’t put together a financial plan, don’t be afraid to enlist the aid of a professional if you need help.

Please feel free to contact me with questions about your financial and retirement planning needs.   Check out our Financial Planning and Investment Advice for Individuals page for more information about our services.  

Check out our Resources page for links to a variety of tools and services that might be beneficial to you.

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Small Business Retirement Plans – SEP-IRA vs. Solo 401(k)

February 25, 2013 By 17 Comments
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Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices, Springfield

This time of year many small business owners are looking for additional tax deductions.  One of the best deductions is funding a retirement plan.  Beyond any tax deduction you are saving for your retirement.  As a fellow small business person, I know how hard you work.  You deserve a comfortable retirement.  Two popular plans are the SEP-IRA and Solo 401(k).

A comparison of the main features of the two plans

SEP-IRA Solo 401(k)
Who can contribute? Employer contributions only Employer contributions and employee deferrals
Employer contribution limits For 2013, up to 25% of the participant’s compensation or $51,000 ($50,000 for 2012), whichever is less.Contributions are deductible as a business expense and are not required every year. For 2013, employer plus employee contribution limit is $51,000 ($56,500 if the employee is age 50 or older).  For 2012 the limits are $50,000 and $55,500.Contributions are deductible as a business expense and are not required every year.
Employee contribution limits Technically there are no employee contribution limits, but employees can contribute to an IRA (Traditional, Roth, or Non-Deductible based upon their individual circumstances). $17,000 for 2012 and $17,500 for 2013.  An additional $5,500 for participants 50 and over.  In no case can this exceed 100% of compensation.
Eligibility Typically, employees must be allowed to participate if they are over age 21, earn at least $550 annually, and have worked for the same employer in at least three of the past five years.  Check with your custodian for specific eligibility requirements. No age or income restrictions, generally.

 

Note the Solo 401(k) is also referred to as an Individual 401(k).

A few points to consider 

  • While a SEP-IRA can be used with employees in reality this can become an expensive proposition as you will need to contribute the same percentage for your employees as you defer for yourself.  I generally consider this a plan for the self-employed.
  • Both plans allow for contributions up your tax filing date, including extensions for the prior tax year.  The Solo 401(k) plan must be established by the end of the calendar year.
  • Note that the SEP-IRA contribution is calculated as a percentage of compensation.  If your compensation is variable so will the amount that you can contribute to plan year-to year.  Even if you have the cash to do so, your contribution will be limited by your income for a given year. 
  • By contrast you can defer the lesser of $17,500 ($23,000 if 50 or over) or 100% of your income for 2013 into a Solo 401(k) plus the profit sharing contribution.  This might be the better alternative for those with plenty of cash and a variable income.
  • Loans are available from Solo 401(k)s, but not with SEP IRAs.
  • A Roth feature is available for a Solo 401(k) if allowed by your plan document. There is no Roth feature for a SEP IRA.
  • Both plans require minimal administrative work, though once the balance in your Solo 401(k) account tops $250,000, the level of annual government paperwork increases a bit.
  • Both plans can be opened at custodians such as Charles Schwab, Fidelity, Vanguard, T. Rowe Price, and others. For the Solo 401(k) you will generally use a prototype plan. If you want to contribute to a Roth account, for example, ensure that this is possible through the custodian you choose.
  • Investment options for both plans generally run the full gamut of typical investment options available at your custodian such as mutual funds, individual stocks, ETFs, bonds, closed-end funds, etc. There are some statutory restrictions so check with your custodian.

Both plans can offer a great way for you to save for retirement and to realize some tax savings in the process.  Whether you go this route or with some other option I urge to start saving for your retirement today.  

Please feel free to contact me with your financial planning and investing questions or to discuss your retirement plan options.  

Photo credit Flickr

 

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E*Trade’s Fee Commercials – Informative or Misleading?

February 18, 2013 By 6 Comments
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During the Super Bowl I watched E*Trade Financial’s commercials deriding the 2% (of assets under management) fees they claim are charged by many financial advisors and portraying their advice services as the white knight answer to this problem.

Are these commercials informative?  

I say yes in that they focus on the issue of fees for financial advice.  Fees for investment vehicles such as mutual funds as well as for financial advice have come under scrutiny of late which I think is a good thing.  Any advisor who is charging 2% is charging too much.  That said I am not aware of any advisors who actually charge this much, but I’ll give E*Trade the benefit of the doubt on this.

Are these commercials misleading?  

Again the answer, in my opinion, is yes.  There are many questions that I have such as:

  • How many advisors actually charge 2%?
  • What types of services are we talking about?  Investment advice only?  Wealth management?
  • What is included in the 2%?  I’m assuming this is only the actual fee charged by the advisor and not the expense ratios of mutual funds or other investment vehicles.

In any event I feel that E*Trade was conveniently vague here.

What does E*Trade’s Financial Advice Cost?

Here’s what I found looking around their site:

Managed Investment Portfolios $25,000 minimum

Managed Investment Portfolios are actively managed discretionary portfolios of leading mutual funds or ETFs, rigorously researched, selected, and optimized by a team of experienced investment professionals. We’ll help you choose the portfolio that’s right for you. 

To me this sounded a lot like what the brokerage firms call a wrap account, which in fact I found that this was when I read the fine print on the site.  Some portfolio manager (who E*Trade describes as “E*TRADE Capital Management, LLC, a registered investment advisor, manages the Managed Investment Portfolios program. Our investment committee and a team of analysts develop investment portfolio models and evaluate individual investments in accordance with various macroeconomic factors, fund and security data, and proprietary and third-party institutional research.”) manages your assets based upon several model portfolios.  So far this sounds like you are getting a “prefab” portfolio managed by some unknown person(s).

For these services you will be charged a percentage of the assets that you have invested in the program:

Investment assets Percentage of assets fee
$100,000 or less 0.90%
$100,001 – $250,000 0.80%
$250,001 – $500,000 0.75%
$500,001 – $1 million 0.70%
Over $1 million 0.65%

 

These fees seem reasonable, but not cheap by any stretch of the imagination.  Remember there is no financial planning advice, just strictly portfolio management.

Note these fees do not include the expense ratios of the underlying investments.  The program description mentions that either an all mutual fund or all ETF portfolio will be used, it doesn’t sound like there is any mixing and matching of the two.  If I were a betting man I’d bet that all of the underlying investments are on some sort of E*Trade platform for which they pay for inclusion.

Unified Managed Accounts -$250,000 minimum

Complex financial needs require flexible investment solutions. Unified Managed Accounts offers broad diversification across several asset classes, tax management features, and access to experienced money managers—all in one professionally managed account. 

This option is actually managed by E*Trade advisors and an outside investment firm called Lockwood Advisors.  Investors in this service do receive more custom services such as tax-efficient investments and a portfolio that can include a combination of investment vehicles such as mutual funds, ETFs, and individual stocks.

The fees are of course a bit higher for these services, and frankly seem a bit on the high side to me:

Investment assets Percentage of assets fee
First $1 million ($250,000 minimum) 1.25%
Over $1 million up to $2 million 1.15%
Over $2 million to $5 million 1.10%
Over $5 million 0.95%

 

Again, note these fees do not include the expense ratios of the underlying investments nor does this include any sort of financial planning or wealth management services.

Questions to ask if considering E*Trade’s advice services  

  • Who exactly will be managing my money?
  • Who is my point of contact?
  • How much experience do these people have?
  • How much turnover has there been among the investment management and the Financial Consultant group?
  • Does E*Trade Financial receive compensation from the mutual fund and ETF providers they recommend?
  • What types of real (not back-tested) results has E*Trade achieved?

Note these are the types of questions that you should ask of any money manager.  And make no mistake you are hiring a money manager and not a financial advisor when you go with one of these services from E*Trade.  Note that mutual fund, ETF, and separate account managers are also considered money managers.

This is differs from a financial advisor who is also a financial planner and/or a wealth manager in addition to being an investment advisor.

Am I knocking E*Trade’s advice solutions, absolutely not.  What I am knocking is the lack of transparency and clarity in their commercials.  I would say to anyone considering these services that the ambiguity of these commercials is disturbing and this should be taken into consideration when evaluating their offerings.

Please feel free to contact me with your financial planning and investing questions.  

For you do-it-yourselfers, check out Morningstar.com to analyze your investments and to get a free trial for their premium services.  Please check out our Resources page for links to some additional tools and services that might be beneficial to you.

Photo credit:  Crunchbase

 

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Choosing the Right Financial Advisor – Key Considerations

January 28, 2013 By 6 Comments
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With the holidays behind us and taxes on the horizon, many folks are looking to find a qualified financial advisor who is right for their situation.  Maybe getting your finances in order was a New Year’s Resolution.  Perhaps you’ve realized that retirement is getting closer.  Whether you will be looking to work with a financial advisor for the first time or feel that your current advisor isn’t meeting your needs, here are some issues for you to consider in your selection process:

Understand yourself first 

The first question that I ask a perspective client is:  What prompted you to seek the services of someone like me?  While you may not be totally sure of all of the areas in which you need help, thinking about what you want from a relationship with a financial advisor up-front will help you to find the right advisor for your unique situation.

Some common answers to my initial question over the years:

  • Retirement is looming and I want to make sure that I have everything in order.
  • We inherited some money and want to know how to best invest it.
  • Our investments are all over the place and we have no plan.
  • We want an independent review of our situation and a financial plan to help us move forward. 

How would you and the advisor interact? 

What is the advisor’s communication style?  How often would you meet?  Will the advisor be proactive about bringing relevant ideas and suggestions to your attention?

There is no right answer here, but you should be sure to ask about this so that should you enter into a relationship with this advisor your expectations are realistic.

Does the advisor work with clients like you? 

An advisor who focuses on clients who are retired might not be the right advisor for you if you are in your 30s with small children for example.  Does the advisor have a minimum level of net worth or investible assets?  Where does your situation fall in comparison to these minimums?

If, for example, you are a corporate employee seeking advice on how to best manage the stock options granted to you by your employer does the advisor have experience helping clients deal with their stock options?

Advisor or product seller? 

Does the prospect advisor focus on selling financial products?  Do they offer financial planning services?  Are they compensated on a fee-only basis or do they depend upon commissions from the sale of financial products for all or part of their compensation?

It is important that you fully understand how the advisor is compensated so that you understand if there are potential conflicts of interest that might be driving their advice.

What are this advisor’s qualifications? 

There are an increasing number of designations in the financial advice world.  The two that hold the most weight as far as financial planning goes are the CFP® designation and PFS designation.  The latter is the personal finance designation awarded to CPAs who qualify.

Make sure to ask about the designations held by a prospective advisor and also about their education and experience.  While none of these ensure that the advisor is right for you the answers to these questions will give you a sense of their commitment to gaining the knowledge needed to address your financial planning and advice needs.

Do some checking 

Check on the prospective advisor’s record.   FINRA’s Broker Check database of federally and state registered investment advisers allows you to search by name, and lets you check up on firms as well. Several private services, such as BrightScope, have services to check an adviser’s regulatory record. If the adviser is a Certified Financial Planner you can also look up their information at the CFP Board’s website. None of this is a guarantee, but it is a great starting point.

The right financial advisor can help you build the wealth you need to reach your various financial goals.  Take the time and put in the effort to select the right advisor for your unique needs.

Please feel free to contact me with your financial planning questions.

Check out our Resources page for links to a variety of tools and services that might be beneficial to you.

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Friday Finance Links November 30, 2012

November 30, 2012 By 6 Comments
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College football is wrapping up its season with a number of conference championship games, the NFL is heading into the

The new NFL logo went into use at the 2008 draft.

home stretch, and it is supposed to hit 60 degrees this weekend here in Chicago go figure. 

Here are some links to a number of excellent personal finance articles for your weekend reading.

Personal Finance Blogs  

Andrea discusses Retirement Planning: Should Your 401K Match be Part of Your Savings Goal at Take a Smart Step.

Peter shares How We Saved Almost $1,000 On Our Homeowners and Auto Insurance Premiums at Bible Money Matters.

Melissa writes about the Financial Considerations When Deciding How Many Kids To Have at parenting family money.

Kay tells us that a Federal gasoline tax increase proposed as part of fiscal cliff solution at Don’t Mess With Taxes.

Beverly Harzog shares Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit at her blog.

Posts from Fellow NAPFA members 

Holly Thomas encourages Parenting: Let’s Talk About Sex And Money at FiGuide.com.

Troy Van Haefan asks Unexpected Inheritance…Now What? at Figuide.com.  

Other articles from around the web 

Mark Miller outlines Key Financial Factors for Boomer Entrepreneurs at morningstar.com.

Stan Haithcock asks Why are hedge funds buying annuities?  at marketwatch.com. 

Robert Powell offers Top 10 IRA-planning mistakes at marketwatch.com.

In case you missed it here is my latest post for the US News Smarter Investor Blog Another Look at Superstar Fund Managers.

Here’s wishing everyone a great weekend.

Photo credit:  Wikipedia

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Friday Finance Links November 23, 2012 – Thanksgiving Weekend Edition

November 23, 2012 By 2 Comments
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Now that we’ve all hopefully recovered from our Thanksgiving food coma, here are some great articles for your weekend finance reading:

English: Thanksgiving Dinner, Falmouth, Maine,...

Personal Finance Blogs  

Luke explains The Black Friday Hoax at Consumerism Commentary.

Miranda asks Happy Thanksgiving: Are You Thankful? at Planting Money Seeds.

John shares this moving post 4 Minutes That Changed My Life Forever II, a Thoughtful Thanksgiving at Frugal Rules.

Michael lists 7 ETF Inovations To Be Thankful For at ETF Database.

Erin offers 100 Words On: Donating to the Company Charity Drive in a guest post at Len Penzo dot Com.

Posts from Fellow NAPFA members 

Jim Blankenship shares A Dozen Ways To Increase Your Savings Rate at FiGuide.com.

Curt Sheldon explains Deploy To A Combat Zone?  Check Out The Earned Income Tax Credit at Figuide.com.  

Other articles from around the web 

Scott Holsopple shares Your Thanksgiving Dinner as Retirement Plan at usnews.com.

Jennifer Waters explains Why are retailers ruining Thanksgiving? at marketwatch.com.

Harrison Monarth shares Wal-Mart and the perils of ignoring staff complaints at CNNMoney.

In case you missed it here is my latest post for the US News Smarter Investor Blog 4 Reasons to Be Thankful for Your 401(k).

Here’s wishing everyone a great weekend.

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Should You Buy Financial Services From Tommy Lee Jones?

November 14, 2012 By 4 Comments
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I recently noticed the return of Tommy Lee Jones as the TV pitchman for Ameriprise Financial.  Tommy Lee Jones is one

Français : Tommy Lee Jones au festival de Cannes.

of my favorite actors, loved him in the Men in Black movies as well as other such as the Fugitive and No Country for Old Men.

Jones comes across as credible and trustworthy.  His closing line “Together for your future” is masterful and powerful.  As I’ve written here and elsewhere in the past, I’m not a fan of celebrity pitchmen for financial services and financial products.  Case in point was a post about Mike Ditka hawking equity index annuity products.

At the end of the day advertising is about building awareness.  I’m assuming and hoping that nobody reading this would actually contact Ameriprise or any other company and say “… sign me up…” based upon a celebrity endorsement.  Rather this might prompt you to check out the company or product being advertised. Here are some basic questions to ask both yourself and a perspective advisor for starters:

Ask yourself this before Engaging a Financial Advisor

  • What issues are really bothering me?
    • I’m worried about retirement.
    • I want help managing my investments.
    • I need answers to a specific financial question(s).
    • I need a comprehensive review of my financial situation including a financial plan with actionable suggestions.
    • Having an understanding of the areas in which you are seeking help is a key first step in selecting the right financial advisor.

Questions to Ask a Perspective Financial Advisor/Firm

  • What makes you qualified to provide me with advice?
  • Do you normally work with clients whose situation is similar to mine?
  • How will you determine the right course of action for me?
  • What areas of financial planning/financial advice are your specialties?
  • Will I be dealing with you or some lower level employee?

Questions Regarding an Advisor’s Compensation and Potential Conflicts of Interest

  • How will you be compensated if we work together?  Are you willing to disclose all forms of compensation that you will receive?
  • Are there any conflicts of interest such as restrictions from your firm or the manner in which you are compensated that would impact the financial products that you might recommend to me?
  • Are you compensated via commissions; fees (Fee-Only); or a combination of the two (Fee-Based)?

Choosing the right financial advisor for you and your family is critical.  You want to do your best to find someone who is competent, whose compensation method is made clear and is transparent, and who you feel that you can trust.  Don’t be afraid to ask direct pointed questions and don’t settle for half-answers.

Please feel free to contact me with your financial planning and investment questions.

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Why Financial Planning is Important-An Illustration

October 3, 2012 By 4 Comments
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Over the years I’ve written several posts on this blog about the importance of financial planning.  Now courtesy of NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, the largest organization of fee-only financial advisors in the country and a group to which I proudly belong) I can show you.  The infographic below does a great job of diagramming the need for financial planning and how the process works.  The statistics are sobering and illustrate the need for many Americans to seek the help of a qualified financial planner.

Here is a link to the infographic for any mobile users who might not be able to view it in the post.  http://visual.ly/why-financial-planning-important

Please feel free to contact me with your financial planning questions.

Check out our Resources page for links to some tools and services that might be beneficial to you.

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Friday Finance Links September 28, 2012

September 28, 2012 By 3 Comments
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Thankfully the NFL settled their labor dispute with the replacement refs so I don’t have to find a way to weasel out of my threat to boycott Sunday’s Packers-Saints game.  Biggest story of the week as even the two presidential candidates weighed in.

Here are some articles and blog posts that I suggest for your weekend personal finance reading: 

Personal Finance Blogs

Michael tells us that The NFL is Teaching the World a Valuable Business Lesson at PT Money.

Joe shares A Letter to the 47%ers at JoeTaxpayer Blog.

Jeremy outlines The Real Costs of Running a Blog Business at Modest Money.

Scott Wallace asks Do risk free investments really exist? At Retire Happy Blog.

Ken Faulkenberry explains What is Exponential Growth, Double Time, and the Rule of 72? at AAAMP Blog.

Posts from Fellow NAPFA members

Blair H. duQuesnay posted You Don’t Have to Earn a Ton of Money to Retire Comfortably.  Blair is a fee-only planner who is not yet in NAPFA, hopefully that will change in the near future as I think she would be a great addition to our organization.

Rick Rogers tells about Donating Appreciated Property? 

Other articles from around the web

Christine Benz offers some tips in Looking Ahead: Your Fourth-Quarter Financial To Do List at Morningstar.com

Daniel Bortz lists some Important Things to Consider When Preparing Your Will at US News.com.

Chris Carosa describes Mom-The Practically Perfect Picture of a Fiduciary at Fiduciary News.

In case you missed it here is my latest contribution to the US News Smarter Investor blog Are ETF Price Wars a Good Thing? 

Thanks to Josh Brown for including my post on the replacement refs in his The Good Leads post yesterday in the Wall Street Journal.

I also want to thank Joe at JoeTaxpayer Blog for contributing the first guest post ever on this blog earlier this week.

Here’s wishing everyone a great weekend.  

Photo credit:  USA Today

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