The Unfair Advantage of Dividend Tax Rates

Dividend tax rates are an opportunity for investors. The favored status of qualified dividends means they are taxed at a lower rate than standard income, by anywhere from 10-20% less.
Role of a Fiduciary
, ,

The Role of a Fiduciary – Putting Your Interests First

As many of you have undoubtedly heard, regulatory changes are coming to the finance industry pertaining to “fiduciary standards” and the obligations we have as financial professionals with respect to retirement accounts. Let me be clear: we embrace these changes as we serve as a fiduciary for your money in advisory relationships, just as I believe we always have.
Dividend Investment Strategy Intro

Our Dividend Focused Investment Strategy: An Introduction

As many of you know, I spent the first 26 years of my working life as corporate pilot. It was an exciting profession and I loved going to my “office” at 43,000 feet. Getting people to and from places safely was always the focus of the job. As a financial advisor I spend my days navigating quite different terrain. But the job is the same: helping people get from here to there safely. So today I’d like to cover our Dividend Focus Strategy, and why we think it’s a smart fit for our clients young and old. Since a picture tells a thousand words, let me draw you a picture. It will be readily apparent why I thankfully did not choose to be an artist – but it will illustrate a few important points.
Brexit

Brexit – What Is It and What Should I Do?

All the news about Brexit reminds me of how the media spins stories, how bad investor behavior can cause investors to hurt themselves, and how wise investors should be grateful for volatility. It reminds me of the uncertainty in 1987, when financial markets fell “due to computers”. Brexit, Ebola, Sarin, you name the scare – volatility can create opportunity for wise investors. That brings us to the latest panic: Brexit. The real question is what does it mean, how will it impact me, and what should I do?
3 Principles of Retirement

The 3 Principles of Retirement

There are millions of words written every day about the economy, the direction of the financial markets, investment advice, and so on, yet no other topic gets as much attention as the concept of “retirement”. When you think about it, it should get attention. Investors spend their entire working career saving and planning for this phase in life. While we prefer the phrase, “making work a choice” (no one likes thinking about reaching the end of their usefulness) we know many people struggle to understand key issues of retirement. So today we want to cover three main areas.

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

To celebrate my 60th birthday my team gave me an incredible gift, a book of New York Times front pages from each of the past 60 years. A great gift indeed, but also a reminder of the words from Jean-Babtise Alphonse Karr, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Indeed, the more we think things have changed, the more we are reminded they are the same. Reading through the headlines of the past 60 years I was struck by the familiarity of the messages. Frankly, I thought the headlines were from just yesterday, not five or six decades ago. The patterns seem all too familiar

Social Media – Helping or Hurting Your Investment Behavior?

During a recent client meeting we ended up on the subject of social media, and the effect it can have on a business. Unfavorable press coverage led to an echo of bad news on social media among this client’s customers, and it was continuing to harm his business with no end in sight. I was curious about the public’s persistent reaction, and why he believed the story was still in the news cycle many weeks later. Was his customer base being fickle? Were competitors spreading false and redundant stories? His response: social media. Once a key marketing strategy for his company, social media has quickly turned into a sore spot.
5 Red Flags of Scams
, ,

The 5 Red Flags of Scams

The scams and fraudulent schemes that come to consumers via E-mail, phone calls, and the USPS change all the time. It could be the ‘Grandparent’ scheme, an offer to reduce credit card interest rates, the offer to sell a timeshare, or even winning a lottery or prize. The wise approach is to look for the common red flags and know what to do when you see them. This workshop was originally presented at Prosperion EDU 16.
The Future of Denver's Skyline
, ,

The Future of Denver’s Skyline

Explore the unique history of Denver as told by one of its eminent urban planners Ken Schroeppel. Why did Denver take the shape it did? What will it look like in the next 10 years? Why is the traffic so darn bad lately? Ken will explore all of these ideas and more as he walks you through new projects helping to shape the face of Denver and how past initiatives contributed to our wonderful city. This workshop was originally presented at Prosperion EDU 16.
Brainworks Solutions for Staying Sharp
, ,

Brainworks – Simple Strategies for Staying Sharp

While cognitive decline may be an inevitable part of the aging process, studies show that we can prevent, or at least postpone its development through intervention. Our brain is actually radically adaptable if we train it appropriately—like we do our bodies. The “fitter” our brain is, the more energy efficient it becomes, and the easier it is to do important mental tasks such as focusing attention and being creative. This workshop was originally presented at Prosperion EDU 16.
IRS Scam Alert

Scam Alert: Courtesy of Cary Johnson

Government Agencies will not contact you via telephone or E-mail to settle an outstanding issue, including any payment or fee! The IRS scam calls have never gone away. Now, however, the calls are supposedly coming from the U.S. Treasury Department…
Progress in 5s
,

Progress in 5’s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRTozm6XlIM I think daily minutia often blurs our capability to see the remarkable progress humankind has and is making. If we take a moment to think back 40 years, back to the time many of you started investing…
LPL Financial Outlook 2016
,

Outlook 2016: Embrace the Routine

LPL Research expects to see routine year-end outcomes in many areas of the economy and financial markets in 2016, but how we get there may be anything but routine. Certain conditions have been unusual for so long, that 2016 may hold some unexpected…

2016: A Year of Drama-teries

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Crcnds8BdE As we look back at 2015 one word comes to mind: volatility. Though the swings felt dramatic, the S&P 500 Index actually had less volatility than what I would call a typical year. The peak-to-trough…
,

Facing Volatility

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcGeTBXMla4 Over the last few years, we have faced a variety of challenges in the market. Times of stress spark the need for discussion, reassurance, and often, historical context. In 2013, we started the year…