Articles and Videos

Managing Your Financial Future

How Do You Know When You Can Retire?- Season 5: Episode 8

April 20, 2021

If you’ve been planning on working until a certain age (62? 65? later?), but you find that you are a) overwhelmed by stress at work, and b) a number of years short of that “required” age, are you still able to retire? This is a question that financial advisors and planners deal with every day. How do you know when you’re really able to hang it all up? Maybe your portfolio balance hasn’t reached the number you’ve always figured was the minimum amount you’d need. There’s a chance, given certain generous tax laws and some basic strategy techniques, that you may be able to retire well before you thought you could.

Capitalize

Advice for Those Who Want Financial Success – Interview with Craig Israelsen -Season 1: Episode 9

April 19, 2021

What’s the most important piece of advice for those that want financial success?  As we continue the interview with Craig Israelsen, founder of the “Seven-12 portfolio,” our own Christopher Panagiotu, CFP®, CRPS® talks about what Craig would say to those who have a vested interest in achieving their own financial goals.  What is low correlation?  Why is it valuable?   Educating you on the important topics of the day – and more – on this week’s edition of CAPitalize, the podcast for the intelligent investor!

Articles

What Is an “Alternative” Investment?

April 16, 2021

Diversification is not just a financial industry buzzword; it’s often an important part of just about anyone’s financial strategy.  A common form is a simple one: stocks, bonds, and cash.  But is that true diversification?  For some people, that may work just fine.  Others, though, may want to consider a little extra: something known as an “alternative investment.” Whether these are suitable for an individual investor, though, depends on several factors.  So before you jump into anything non-traditional, it’s a good idea to know what you’re getting into and why.

Managing Your Financial Future

Annuities 101: Understanding the Basics- Season 5: Episode 7

April 13, 2021

Of all the financial products available to consumers, it is the annuity that is perhaps the most misunderstood. The initial concept of the annuity — you give money to an insurance company, they pay you some, or all, of that money back (and maybe more) over time — is rather simple. But over they years they’ve become more complex, with more features, more options, and (yes) in some cases, more fees. Whether an annuity is suitable for you will depend on many factors. But it’s never a good idea to own an annuity (or anything else) without understanding what you’re getting and why it’s been recommended to you.

Articles

Why Having Multiple Sources of Retirement Income May Be Best

April 8, 2021

If you’ve ever thought about how you’ll be able to have enough income to make it through retirement, you’re not alone.  Many people are concerned about potential future cuts to Social Security, as well as a continuation of low interest rates — both of which can impact your income at retirement. This is why it may be a good idea to consider having multiple sources of income once you’ve stopped working.  But how do you do that? And what form should that income take?

Managing Your Financial Future

Do You Really Owe Taxes When You Give Someone a Gift?- Season 5: Episode 6

April 6, 2021

Have you heard of the “Gift Tax?” Many people are at least familiar with the term, but relatively few know how, when, or where it might be applied. You probably give gifts all the time: some small, some not so small, and some maybe quite large, as for example a downpayment on a home for your son or daughter.  Generosity certainly has its benefits, but is there also a tax that someone should be paying? The answer is both yes and no. And it all depends on a few factors. Knowing how the gift tax works can be especially helpful when it comes time to pass your assets down to your heirs, and if you’re worth a lot of money, it’s even more vital that you understand how it works.

Capitalize

Are Stocks, Mutual Funds or ETFs Good? – Interview with Craig Israelsen -Season 1: Episode 8

April 5, 2021

What are the best steps for people to take to learn how to invest?  And – do you like salsa?  If so, this episode is for you! In finance, as in many other fields, knowledge is power.  And when you’re speaking with someone in academics, it’s an almost sure bet that you’re going to get answers to questions you have, while at the same time learning some valuable lessons.  In this episode of CAPitalize, Christopher Panagiotu, CFP®, CRPS®,  speaks with Professor Craig Israelsen, founder of the “Seven-12 portfolio”. We answer questions that need to be asked: What’s the difference between an Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) and a stock?  And what do terms like “low correlation” mean?  And what’s the important piece of advice for those who desire financial success?

Articles

Your Spouse Dies – What Do You Do Now?

April 1, 2021

“What will happen to me if my spouse passes away?” It’s a question we get a lot; and it’s one we also don’t get often enough. The death of a spouse is hard enough emotionally, but when financial issues are added to that, it can quickly become overwhelming.   This, again, is why it’s so important to have a strategy already in place. Sometimes just knowing that so many things are already taken care of can lessen the long-term burden of losing a spouse.

Managing Your Financial Future

How to Get Money Into a Roth When You’re Over the Income Limits – Season 5: Episode 5

March 30, 2021

You may have heard that individuals with annual incomes that exceed certain thresholds cannot contribute funds directly to a Roth IRA.  This is true.  So how can someone with an income above the limits enjoy the potential tax benefits of a Roth? A simple strategy technique may allow you to do just that.  

Articles

Can You Really “Super-Fund” Your Roth IRA?

March 26, 2021

You may have heard about the potential tax benefits of owning a Roth IRA. While a Roth is not a panacea for everyone, it can provide some individuals with favorable tax-treatment options that a traditional IRA cannot. So if your goal is to get as much money as possible into a Roth IRA, but you’re hamstrung by the annual contribution limits, what options might you have for “amping up” your Roth savings plan?

Managing Your Financial Future

Why We Spend the Way We Do in Retirement- Season 5: Episode 4

March 23, 2021

All marriages end in one of two ways: divorce or death. If you live long enough with someone, eventually one of you will mourn the other. And whether a spouse’s passing comes as a surprise or not, there will always be a list of tasks that the survivor must deal with at some point.  But what are those tasks, and when do you have to perform them? Good questions. And while everyone’s situation is unique, there are a few things that most everyone who is in that situation should be sure to get done.

Capitalize

Does it make sense to diversify? Interview with Michael Edesess -Season 1: Episode 7

March 22, 2021

Is asset allocation as a strategy a good idea, or is it an exercise in futility? What about annuities? Christopher Panagiotu, CFP®, CRPS®, continues his interview with Michael Edesess, Chief Investment Strategist with Compendium Finance. This section gets even deeper into the topic of diversification, as well as Warren Buffett’s style of investing, and Michael’s opinions on both asset allocation and whether annuities could be a good idea to include in someone’s portfolio.