by Michael Lecours | Apr 29, 2014 | Rule of Thumb, Saving, Uncategorized
Last fall, I completed a series of energy efficiency upgrades to my home – most significantly I added insulation to the attic. I’ve been curious to see if the touted claims of energy savings were reflective of my actual experience. It may be too soon to tell, but my...
by Michael Lecours | Mar 25, 2014 | Investment Strategies, Rule of Thumb, Saving, Uncategorized
If you maxed out your 401(k) savings for the year ($17,500) and contributed to your ROTH ($5,500) you may be wondering what the next best place is to save for the future. Here are a few places to look: Open a taxable accounts. You can open a regular brokerage...
by Michael Lecours | Mar 25, 2014 | Investment Strategies, Retirement, Saving, Taxes, Uncategorized
Answering the question, “Can I contribute to my IRA or ROTH IRA?” can be tough. There are many, many factors that you have to consider and it can become complicated. To make matters worse, the requirements may even change from one year to the next. To help make this...
by Michael Lecours | Mar 18, 2014 | Investment Strategies, Retirement, Saving, Uncategorized
Just because it isn’t making headlines, doesn’t mean inflation is not a serious issue. We, as advisors, have to deal with on a daily basis. The following article is filled with great nuggets about inflation. Here are my favorites: “According to the US Labor...
by Michael Lecours | Feb 25, 2014 | Finding Confidence, Retirement, Saving, Uncategorized
I was quoted in an article the other day about what young people can do to begin saving for retirement. The article outlines a lot of great concepts and analogies: Early Earl and Late Larry, a great chart showing the time value of money A snowball rolling down a hill...
by Michael Lecours | Feb 19, 2014 | Cash, Investment Strategies, Saving, Uncategorized
We’ve built a cash strategy for Tier II and Tier III for investors with lots of cash sitting on the sidelines earning next to nothing. We are recommending a short-term bond portfolio as outlined earlier. It would consist of 5-6 conservative bond investments, reviewed...
