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March 11, 2015 in Risk Management, Tax Management
While the Internal Revenue Service may not be your favorite Federal agency, criminals falsely posing as IRS representatives are unquestionably the much greater enemy. As time and technology march on, scammers have been setting increasingly treacherous traps for swindling taxpayers’ assets, identities or both. To make matters worse, their favorite targets are those most likely to succumb to the trickery and least able to afford the assault – such as...

March 3, 2015 in Family Money, Real Estate
Never mind winter. If the heat is on for you to purchase your first home, you may be warmed by the excitement even as you find yourself frozen by indecision. This is not surprising. Finding your first home can be as enormously gratifying, but funding it can be dramatically daunting. A little financial life planning can go a long way toward making sound choices you can live with about the...

March 2, 2015 in Dimensional, Evidence-Based Investing, Investing
February 2015 Weather vs. Climate By Jim Parker Vice President DFA Australia Limited "Notice how TV news bulletins put finance next to the weather report? In each, talking heads point at charts and intone about intraday events that are quickly forgotten. Meanwhile, the long-term wealth building story gets overlooked." To read more: OPEN PDF: Weather vs. Climate...

February 17, 2015 in Advisor Role, Fiduciary
All the talk of relationships this past Valentine's Day had us reflecting on our client engagements and the two-way relationships they represent. Our Client Pledge As we dedicate ourselves to placing our clients’ financial interests even ahead of our own, we make a commitment that goes something like this: We pledge to … Act as a fiduciary, treating your finances with utmost care and prudence, and placing your best interests first – even ahead...

February 10, 2015 in Family Money, Mindful living, Retirement Planning
As consecutive blizzards continue to weigh heavy on the Eastern seaboard, it can be tempting to dream of the days that you don’t care if another foot or two comes down … because you’re RETIRED. Throw on an extra sweater, hire the neighbor boy to shovel, and pour that second cup of coffee. Better yet, escape to where 55 degrees and overcast qualifies as inclement weather. But before you surrender to...

February 4, 2015 in Insurance, Risk Management
Employer-sponsored group life insurance can be a nice perk to help ensure that your loved ones are well cared for in the event of your untimely death. Most plans offer basic coverage at no cost to employees, along with supplemental coverage you can purchase at group rates. What are the factors to consider in deciding whether supplemental group coverage makes sense for you? To address this question, we are pleased to...

January 20, 2015 in Dimensional, Evidence-Based Investing, Investing
According to Dimensional Fund Advisors’ 2014 Review, two non-U.S. developed countries (in the MSCI Index) experienced 2014 annual returns of +22.77% and –22.04% in seesaw fashion. Can you guess which two these might be? Since there are so many to choose from, let’s narrow it down. Those highest and lowest returns came out of Israel and Norway. Now, which was which? You’d be correct if you guessed that Israel experienced the...

December 16, 2014 in Advisor Role, Fiduciary, SageBroadview News
2014 was a pretty exciting year at SAGEbroadview. For starters, it is our first year as a combined SAGEbroadview force. Even as we threw ourselves into combining the energy of two good firms into one, we also took on a variety of personal goals. Most noteworthy was Associate Advisor Chris Annello’s achievement of his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ marks. We couldn’t be more excited for Chris, who has now officially followed...

December 9, 2014 in Advisor Role, Investing, Money Management
In our previous post, “How to Hold a Financial Fire Drill,” we discussed the importance of understanding your true risk tolerance and routinely practicing how it applies to your investment plans. That way, when market risks arise for real, you’ll be less likely to abandon those best-laid plans. A key tool to help you stay on course is your Investment Policy Statement (IPS). Your IPS: A Living Document Your IPS is a...

December 3, 2014 in Advisor Role, Investing, Money Management
Former director of financial services at Dimensional Fund Advisors, now retired, Dan Wheeler continues to share financial insights on his personal blog. In his post, “Fire Drill,” Wheeler recommends practicing what you will do the next time the markets drop, especially if the declines are as precipitous as they were during the financial crisis in 2007–2008. Otherwise, he observes, now that the pain we experienced then has started to fade,...