In some respects, we wish this piece weren’t worth re-posting. We’d prefer it if today’s investors no longer needed to be on the look-out for the opaque fees and conflicts of interest described. Unfortunately, with only a few minor updates, the information is still as relevant today as it’s ever been. So even if you’ve read this before, we recommend revisiting this important message again. For extra credit, you may also...

One favorite guest re-post deserves another. This next one originally arrived just in time for Halloween. Authored by Larry Annello (shortly before our two firms merged into SAGEbroadview), the witching season went well with the theme of the then-new, potential 3.8% Medicare surtax on portions of an investor’s income. At least for the foreseeable future, the Medicare surtax remains alive and well. Fail to plan for it in any given tax...

This post may be one of Sheri’s favorites because it represents one of her own earliest financial challenges as well as the inspiration behind her current career. In an earlier career, Sheri was employed by General Electric for 15 years in a variety of roles. As she accumulated company stock options and other executive benefits, she realized how hard it was to find good advice on how to make the best...

Let us count the ways that we still love this post about the benefits of youthful investing in a Roth IRA. First, there are few investment lessons more powerful than the importance of starting to save and invest when you’re young, with time, compound returns and tax sheltering opportunities on your side. Second, it’s been heartening to see how far guest author Chris Annello and Sheri’s niece Jessica (who inspired the...

In early June, several of us at SAGEbroadview shared our recent adventures in the college admissions process. In particular, Sheri described some of the college admission challenges  that she, her husband and her youngest son Devon encountered as they sought a good fit for his higher education ambitions. It would be comforting to say that it will be easier for Sheri this time, since Devon is their second son to head...

If you have been following our SAGEbroadview blog for a while, you probably already know that we have long endorsed taking time away from work now and then to enjoy friends, family and a bit of free time. Here is one of our most recent posts about how to Appreciate the Wealth of Your Life. To put our values into action, we like to take a break each summer from our...

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index has been negative in 13 of the past 28 calendar years while the S&P 500 Index has only been negative 5 of the past 28 years. Which index had a higher rate of return in this 28 year time period? If you’re catching on to the tricky questions we’ve been posing in our last post and the one before that you might guess that, despite the considerably higher...

In our last post, we shared the first in a trio of videos illustrating the important insights we can draw from Dimensional Fund Advisors’ Matrix Book of historical returns. When viewed close up, the data points found in the Matrix Book may look like just an endless array of random numbers. But just as random dots of paint can generate a bigger picture when viewed from a distance, so can individual...

Following up on Sheri’s insights  from Devon’s search for a musical program, Wendy Vissar reflects on the challenges that she, her husband Michael Slackman and their son Nikolas have encountered in his desire to pursue a career in theatrical arts. As long-time neighbors and good friends, Nik and Devon are both about to make their way into the wider world. We hope they remain close to us and one another...