Financial Alternatives News and Insights
Integrated Wealth Management
Presidential elections have a way of creating angst and anxiety. This happens every four years and we always have many conversations with clients of all political persuasions about what, if anything, they should change in their portfolios due to the upcoming election.
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Should you also be worried? It’s helpful to look at what has happened to the stock market during past shutdowns.
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I am excited to announce that Andrew is now a Shareholder Partner with Financial Alternatives.
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We all learned our ABCs as kids, and the nice thing about the alphabet is that it never changes. This is not the case for the ABCs of estate planning - where things can and do change often, especially with structures such as AB Trusts.
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I am proud to announce that Ellen is now a Shareholder Partner with Financial Alternatives. She has been with us for over eleven years, and we are excited that she has achieved this next step with the firm.
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In this blog we cover the basics of how step up in basis works in a community property state such as California, and what the common mistakes are that people make (that should be avoided).
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In this blog, we are going to discuss what California residents need to know about step-up in cost basis.
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In the wake of the recent election and the emotional unrest that has ensued, it is beneficial to recall our past writings on this subject.
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Every four years, during the Presidential election cycle, some clients get nervous about the election and how the outcome will affect their investments. Normally there is a fear that if their favored candidate loses, the stock market will tank.
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In this article we outline several important facets of historical market performance. This has great relevance to investors who are looking to make successful decisions about how to over or underweight their portfolio positions to maximize performance over the long term.
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A private trust deed is simply a loan made against a real estate investor’s property. In other words, it is a private mortgage. Trust deeds and mortgages have slight differences, but for this discussion it’s fine to think of them as very similar.
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Executives who are time-constrained yet serious about reaching their financial and investing goals commonly overlook one important factor: automation. Set up your plan so that it will be automatically executed without you having to remember what decisions were made. Automate, automate, automate! Here’s why…
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Tax planning ranks low on the list of activities people enjoy. Yet despite how astronomically large the tax bill can be in April, after tax season many people do not sit back down with their tax professionals to do in-depth planning.
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Homeownership is quickly becoming a luxury that fewer can afford in California these days. But it doesn’t have to be – if you know the tax code. In this column we highlight some lesser known property tax loopholes that can help ease the financial burden for those who qualify.
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Most families, even the more financially successful ones, don’t talk about money the right way, or even put much attention into discussing money as a family at all. For a variety of reasons this is harmful to a family’s continued wellbeing. Here are some tips for successfully imparting the knowledge and wisdom about money that your family needs to know to educate the next generation about money.
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I recently explored upgrading from my current condo into a house, but the resulting property tax and mortgage expense increase would be too great for me to justify a move. This same predicament, which I call the “golden handcuffs” provides disincentives for many homeowners to move, fanning the flames of the affordable housing shortage in North County.
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Embarking on a financial plan is like sailing around the world. The voyage won’t always go to plan, and there will be rough seas. But the odds of reaching your destination increase greatly if you are prepared, flexible, patient, and well-advised.
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