John Bird, Author at FIGuide

The Passing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act – What You Should Know

Dec 21 2017

THURS, DEC 21st, 2017

As you have likely seen in the news, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed by both the House and the Senate this week. This bill is widely expected to be signed into law by President Trump. The bill brings important changes to most American families – likely including yours.

At Albion Financial Group, we are not accountants nor are we attorneys. However, as a financial advisor, we want to make sure you are aware that this bill likely impacts you and that there are year-end actions that may be financially beneficial. Most importantly, we …

Bitcoin 101 FAQs

Dec 11 2017

MON, DEC 11th, 2017

Bitcoin 101 FAQs:

Bitcoin, and more broadly cryptocurrencies, are seeing increasing news coverage. This has left many wondering: “What is bitcoin and how does it work?” For those trying to better understand bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, here’s our understanding on a handful of frequently asked questions:

What is bitcoin?

Bitcoin is a digital “currency” that can be used to purchase goods and services (only at select locations, for now), or held as a store of speculative value. There are many differences between bitcoin and traditional currency, but the principal difference is that bitcoin is not issued by …

We Now Return You to Your Regularly Scheduled Update on the Economy and Markets …

Nov 02 2017

THURS, NOV 2nd, 2017

The U.S. economy continues down its years-long path of expansion. Despite the endless cacophony of hoopla and noise from the new regime in Washington D.C. the track of growth has neither picked up nor dissipated. Our broad assessment infers that the bedrock of the economy – e.g., jobs, sentiment, private sector balance sheets, and aggregate demand – is healthy. Meanwhile lawmakers have been in a state of gridlock for the majority of the year. Taken together, a measured and stable economy with little in the way of dramatic new policies from the Beltway is a celebrated …

Valuation is An Art – But that Doesn’t Mean It’s Always Pretty

Aug 04 2017

Fri, AUG 4th, 2017

Monet was brilliant with color and stoke. Picasso used interesting shapes and had an uncanny ability to impart mood. Renoir celebrated sensuality. Each had critics, but all share a common trait: artists widely regarded as great in their field. We can squabble about taste, but there’s little debate around their influence. Ansel Adams once said: there is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept. Indeed. Whether it’s art, engineering, or investing, eminent concepts and high quality work are timeless.

On traditional time-honored metrics like P/E, earnings yield, “Fed model” and equity risk …

What in the World is Going on?

Oct 20 2016

Thurs, OCT 20th, 2016

Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said: “one can’t believe impossible things.”

“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
– Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass

Negative interest rates, driverless cars, unfathomable campaign statements, a decline in NFL viewers… Lewis Carroll foreshadowed much of what we see today in the realm of “impossible things”.

Has the world gone crazy?

No. But we are in a time when the …

Author - John Bird