How Much House Can You Really Afford?

How Much House Can You Really Afford?

If you are in the market for a new home, especially your first one, you will be faced with a plethora of choices and decisions to make.  Location, size, style; there are so many variables that you may find the process overwhelming.  But the first decision you will face is how much house you can…
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A Key Factor For Financial Success

As an investment professional I spend a huge part of my time helping clients to develop investment strategies and to identify specific investments that balance the need for growth with the need for asset preservation.  And over time, the value of these efforts pays off by maximizing the likelihood of their being able to live…
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Not All Muni Bonds Are Tax Free

At a wedding in 2007 I met a retired treasurer from a prestigious east-coast university.  He told me that all his investments were exclusively in insured municipal (muni) bonds.  The returns he received were good, sufficient to cover all his expenses, and were practically guaranteed.  But the best part of the muni investments, as he…
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The First Retail Index Fund Breakthrough

It was forty years ago last week that Jack Bogle and his new firm The Vanguard Group launched First Index Investment Trust, the world’s first index mutual fund available to retail investors.  Looking back on it from the vantage point of today, you’d probably be surprised at just how difficult the effort turned out to…
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OK To Tap Your 401(k) For College Expenses?

When it comes to their children, many parents take the view that supporting their kids is first priority.  That’s admirable from a family standpoint, but may not be optimal from a financial one.  And nowhere does this have bigger consequences than with college expenses.  A common question I encounter is whether or not it’s possible to…
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Will Future Returns Be Lower?

John Bogle, the founder of Vanguard Group Inc., said in a recent interview with Bloomberg Radio that he expects stock and bond returns to be significantly lower than they’ve been throughout his 87 year lifetime. Historically, according to Bogle, the average annual return for stocks has been about 12%, and for bonds it’s been around…
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