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The Fear of Uncertainty and the Uncertainty of Fear

“We have nothing to fear, but fear itself.” With those words FDR accepted the presidency of the United States in 1933 during one of the most turbulent times in American history. Lesser known are the words that surround that key sentence.
5 Red Flags of Scams

Election Letter from Burt White, Managing Director of LPL Research

"Donald Trump has completed his landmark quest and will become the nation’s 45th President after a contentious and often divisive campaign. In addition, the Republican Party has retained control of both houses of Congress. This outcome marks…
The Value of Regret

The Value of Regret

As a financial advisor I often see clients with regret. For some investors it’s the regret of missing out on big gains. For others, the regret of taking part in big losses.

Financial Checklist for New Parents

There’s nothing like the joys of becoming a parent…except for the stress and anxiety that comes with it. Some parents can roll with the punches—but others are better off planning each detail. Regardless, of which camp you fall, here is…
Choosing the Companies in Your Portfolio

How We Choose the Companies in Your Portfolio

Today we’re going to cover how I choose the companies that end up in your portfolio. Before we get started, keep in mind that there’s a lot that goes into selecting the right mix of stocks, bonds, and other financial products that come together to address your financial needs. Today, we’re going to look at only one, but it is central to potentially creating and protecting a growing stream of income.
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The Real Cost of Baby’s First Year

My wife likes to comment on how I see everything in dollar amounts. Whether it’s buying a new TV or picking out cereal…I can’t help it, it’s just how I’m wired. I can’t be the only one, right? There has to be others out there who…
Steve Booren

News Release: Steve Booren Leads Session at LPL Financial National Conference

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. - Aug. 31, 2016 - Steve Booren, owner and founder of Prosperion Financial Advisors, recently attended LPL Financial's Focus 2016, one of the financial industry's premier events and the largest annual conference hosted…

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
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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
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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.