Insights

Divorce results in the division of a household’s assets and income, but parties involved should consider that sometimes a split that appears equitable may not be.

When staring down a major financial decision, the first question we often ask ourselves is “what is the best way to meet this cost?” As we assess our situation, it is completely natural to look towards one of, if not the largest, numbers on your balance sheet, your 401(k). But how exactly do you access these dollars if the rules say you cannot, without penalty, until you are age 59 ½?

Everyone has different reasons for donating to charity. Beyond the benefits to the community and the increased happiness of the donor, charitable donations are also an effective way to reduce your tax burden. Often, people tend to get so wrapped up in the why behind charitable giving that they forget about the how.

Many financial news outlets and pundits highlight the beneficial aspects of investing in an ETF (exchange-traded fund) as opposed to holding individual stocks or even mutual funds. ETFs have many features that make them attractive investment vehicles, however investors should be aware that there are risks unique to ETFs. A review of the advantageous aspects of ETFs reveals that investors can get the same benefits from well chosen mutual funds without the additional risk.

Employees of large corporations may some day be faced with a major decision to make: whether or not to take a buyout offer, voluntarily terminating employment for some sort of financial incentive.  An offer of a certain number of weeks or months of severance pay can be very attractive, and may be the right choice, though certainly not an easy one. Here are some considerations for employees to make an informed decision.

Many investors utilize income-producing holdings such as dividend-paying stocks and/or bonds to generate cash flow within their portfolio. When analyzing the performance or appropriateness of these holdings, it is important to take into account not only the income generated, but also the change in principal value. The method of measuring performance that takes both income and capital appreciation/depreciation into consideration is known as total return.  Total return is considered by many to be the most accurate measure of performance.