Are You Missing Tax Opportunities?
I’m not sure about you, but we haven’t met many people that wouldn’t love to lower their tax payments. As we move in to the heart of tax season, do you…
Posts by Mike Eklund
Are Financial Advisors Worth the Fee?
I recently read an article on how to save $1 million. The answer: “Fire your financial advisor.” As a financial advisor and the father of four young children, it got…
College Planning Night
We recently hosted our first college planning night to help individuals and families make smart college decisions. The discussion focused on families with children at or near college, but is…
Why Monitoring Goals Matters Most, Ep #4
So many of us get charged up and rattle off an impressive list of goals but then struggle to follow through. The disconnect between creating and accomplishing is where life change…
Top 10 Economic Stories of 2015, Ep #3
Chad Smith and Allison Berger and Bill Ramsay and Cameron Hendricks and Grace Kvantas and Mike Eklund and Will Holt and Angela Keeley-White
As we did last year, Financial Symmetry has covered several current events on our blog throughout 2015, and here are what we think the Top 10 Economic Stories of the…
How Much is a Financial Advisor Worth? Three Percentage Points According to Vanguard, Ep #2
Is a financial advisor’s fee worth it? Couldn’t you do better job managing your own investments and avoiding that cost? According to Vanguard, the leader in do-it-yourself (DIY) investing, they…
Deciding Whether Active or Passive Funds Are Right for You
The most fundamental issue facing fund investors is also the subject of what might be the most hotly contested debate in the financial services industry: Are actively managed funds or passively…
November 2015 Investment Commentary – Paying for College, S&P 500 Earnings and Target Date Retirement Funds
Index Returns*1-Year Annualized %5-Year Annualized %10-Year Annualized % S&P 500 (US Large)2.7%14.4%7.5% Russell 2500 (US Mid-Small)2.6%12.9%8.0% MSCI EAFE (Foreign Developed)-2.5%6.0%4.1% MSCI Emerging -16.7%-2.7%4.8% Barclays Aggregate Bond1.0%3.1%4.7% Treasury Bill - 3…
What You Need to Know About Social Security ‘File-and-Suspend’ Changes
The recent Congressional budget resolution that eliminated two popular claiming strategies used to maximize Social Security benefits means that many couples might need to rethink their retirement timing or adjust their…
October 2015 Investment Commentary – October Bounce, Social Security Changes and Emerging Markets
Index Returns*1-Year Annualized %5-Year Annualized %10-Year Annualized % S&P 5005.2%14.3%7.9% Russell 25001.5%13.1%8.3% MSCI EAFE0.4%5.3%4.5% MSCI Emerging -14.2%-2.5%6.0% Barclays Aggregate Bond2.0%3.0%4.7% Treasury Bill - 3 month0.0%0.0%1.2% As of October 31, 2015…
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We break down some of the most important questions we are asked on a regular basis.