Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
In what should I be invested?
We make no recommendations before completing our due diligence. Only after we have a clear picture of your risk tolerance, income needs, tax situation, time horizon, and cash flow position do we make any investment recommendation.
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by Jonathan G. Cameron, CFP®
Many of my readers participate in an employer's 401k plan. We get a lot of 401k questions at CameronDowning, so here’s a post with some tips to make the most of this fantastic benefit.
401k Plan Basics
The technical name for the 401k plan is an...
By Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
A flexible spending account (FSA) is an elective benefit offered by many employers. There are generally two types: the FSA for healthcare expenses, and the FSA for dependent care expenses. This is part two of a two-part series. Here I describe the dependent care...
by Jonathan G. Cameron, CFP®
To me an annuity in an IRA is usually a dead giveaway that the client worked with a salesperson and not a financial planner.
Annuities, like any other tool, are not inherently bad. They work best when they do the job they were designed to do – and that job...
By Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
A lot has happened in our regulatory world since I posted the original blog piece, The Advice Industry. The DOL rule is void. The SEC is now working on final new rules for standards of client care.
The government regulates this industry –...
By Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
This is a really good Frequently Asked Question. Instead of taking out a 30-year mortgage, should I take out a 15-year loan? How much more are the payments? How much would I save? Can I afford it? Great questions all.
A Sample 30-Year Mortgage
Let’s use a...
by Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
I know many people reading this blog post have never engaged a professional financial planner before, and may be a bit anxious about what to expect. So let me tell you all about working with a financial planner at CameronDowning.
The First Meeting is Always...
by Jonathan G. Cameron, CFP®
Although there are many similarities these are two very different kinds of insurance. Disability insurance coverage protects wages lost due to an illness or accident. In contrast, long term care insurance is designed to help cover costs of health care services....
By Jonathan G. Cameron, CFP®
What is a Roth IRA?
One of the most popular ways to save for retirement is in a Roth Individual Retirement Account, or a Roth IRA. Roth IRAs first came out in 1997 after being championed by former Senator William V. Roth of Delaware. Tax-wise, a Roth IRA is...
by Jonathan G. Cameron, CFP®
Investing for Millennials is an important topic for a generation set to inherit a massive amount of wealth over the next few decades. Millennials will likely inherit $30 trillion from boomers over the next 30 years[1]. The questions for Millennials are,...
by Jonathan G. Cameron, CFP®
A Roth conversion means taking your Traditional IRA, or some portion of it, and turning it into a Roth IRA. Whatever dollars are converted become taxable to you right then and there.
Who should consider a Roth conversion?
In a previous post...
by Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
In this post I’m tackling a tax topic: The difference between ordinary income taxation and capital gains taxation. What’s the difference and why is it important to know? One word: taxes.
The IRS taxes your income, as you know, but it also taxes...
