December 2013 | FIGuide

Mailbag: Are the Equity Markets Getting Kind of Toppy?

Dec 23 2013

This seems to be the question on everyone’s mind these days:

Are the equity markets getting kind of toppy?

The US stock markets have had an incredibly good year in 2013. Through the end of November, 2013 the S&P 500 is up 29.12%.

At the beginning of the year predictions were that 2013 would be a bad year for US stocks. They had appreciated 16.00% in 2012 and everyone was predicting a down year. They were wrong almost immediately. First quarter of 2013 they appreciated 10.61%. Second quarter they were only up 2.91% but the global markets were …

Annuities Are Still A Bad Idea

Dec 23 2013

I was speaking recently at our local Senior Center when I was asked about annuities and if I thought they were a good idea. I do not like annuities. I believe that there is nearly always a better mix that does not include annuities for families trying to reach their goals.

Another person from the audience commented that she had always thought they were a bad idea, but she had never heard it from a financial advisor before.

I must admit I am always surprised by the positive articles from financial magazines. They seem to try really hard to …

“Corporate Records Service” is a Scam

Dec 23 2013

Corporate Records Service Scam

Many government mailings look like spam. And much spam tries to look like a government mailing.

Business Owner Alert regarding “Corporate Records Service” Solicitation Scam

Recently, an entity calling itself “Corporate Records Service” with an address in the capital of whatever state you happen to be in, mailed solicitations entitled “Annual Minutes Records Form” to numerous business entities in multiple states. This solicitation suggests that a any business entity is required to complete the statement and return it with a fee of $125.

Although the solicitation contains a disclaimer stating that Corporate Records Service is not affiliated with a government …

Saving in the Military

Dec 23 2013

If you or a loved one are in the military and are about to be deployed you may be able to take advantage of a special savings account that is specifically for our Armed Forces members that are deployed in a combat area.

The Savings Deposit Program (SDP) is a unique savings account for service members that are deployed in combat zones and allows the service member to allocate some, most, and in some cases all of their combat pay to a savings account. The maximum that can be contributed to the savings account is $10,000 per deployment and that …

How to Prepare for the Next Stock Market Correction

Dec 23 2013

I am a firm believer that preparation and planning are the keys to being ready for life’s uncertainties. Athletes train in both good and bad weather. Students getting ready for a test study all the material they might need to know. So what should you do to be ready for the next market downturn?

First of all, you need to acknowledge that it is going to happen. Market ups and downs are part of the economic cycle. If you mentally prepare for what can happen before it does, you might save yourself from making a costly knee-jerk reaction. According to …

Archive - December 2013

Business Owner Alert regarding “Corporate Records Service” Solicitation Scam