Michael Helveston, CFP®, CRPC®, Author at FIGuide

Are You a Trader or an Investor?

Dec 16 2014

In my 15 years in the financial industry this simple question is the most basic, and yet one of the most misunderstood.

Let’s start by defining what I mean by the terms “trader” and “investor”. To borrow from one of my favorite bloggers, Carl Richards, “Trading is the buying and selling of individual stocks over short periods of time. Investing, on the other hand, is the purchase of diversified investments and requires holding them for long periods of time.” I think many of us often confuse these two completely different activities.

Most of us would probably classify ourselves …

Important Age Milestones in Retirement

Nov 11 2014

And Why Your Half Birthday Really Does Matter

If you ask each of my three children how old they are, I’ll bet at least one of them will say their age plus a half: “I’m five and a half!” I love how they say it with pride so you don’t forget it! Once you get past age 21, there is a lull in significant birthday milestones, but as you’ll see, half birthdays do come into play as you get older and closer to retirement. Age 50 – Eligible for IRA catch-up provisions. This year, you can put an extra $1,000… Read More

5 Ways to Minimize Your Retirement Income and Maximize Health Insurance Tax Credits

Oct 07 2014

Many retirees sign up for Medicare at age 65 as their primary form of medical insurance. However, if you retire before age 65 without coverage from a former employer, you may find yourself looking for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Depending on your income and household size, you may qualify for federal tax credits, a combination of credits and subsidies, or Medicaid. The surprising part is that some high net worth and high income earners can qualify. For example, a household of two 62-year-olds living in Chester County, PA with an income of $55,000 may qualify for a $913/month … Read More

Financial Advice is Changing For The Good Of The Consumer

Jun 17 2014

The consensus among industry experts in a recent article by Investment News suggests that financial advice needs to be more focused on the consumer and achieving their personal goals. For the longest time, however, financial advice has been littered with commission-based products, complex annuities with lengthy surrender charges, and mutual funds stuffed with hidden fees. But change is coming, and more advisers are trying to eliminate conflicts of interest and become fiduciaries, by putting their client’s needs ahead of their own.

fiduciary

1) n. from the Latin fiducia, meaning “trust,” a person who has the power and obligation to act …

Give your 401(k) an Upgrade with Fidelity BrokerageLink®

Mar 27 2014

If your employer plan offers it, you’ll gain access to many more mutual funds and possibly an adviser.

If you are one of the many employees with a 401(k) or other plan held at Fidelity Investments, I suggest you read on. If your plan is held elsewhere (such as Charles Schwab), you may also have a similar self-directed option to investigate (called PCRA at Schwab).

Fidelity BrokerageLink® allows you to go beyond the traditional funds offered in your employer plan by giving you access to thousands of mutual funds. Not all plans contain this account feature, so check with your …

Author - Michael Helveston, CFP®, CRPC®

And Why Your Half Birthday Really Does Matter