Money Guy Show

Last show we talked about the silver lining of a financial crisis. This week I talk about the special opportunities that these down markets can offer. More specifically, if you did not catch it from the title of this post, I am talking about harvesting tax losses. More than likely, and probably by no fault […] Read the rest at http://www.moneyguy.com/2008/10/thanksgiving-around-the-corner-time-to-harvest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What a week! Actually, what a past couple of weeks! Obviously, it wouldn’t be too hard to harp on all of the bad stuff going on right now. So, instead of doing that, I would like to focus on some of the silver lining and maybe some of the positive things that could come out […] Read more at http://www.moneyguy.com/2008/10/the-silver-lining-of-a-financial-crisis/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So this is the question of the hour: What is going on? Or maybe the better question is: What got us into this mess? The real answer is a perfect storm with many moving parts acting together to drag down the financial markets. The more simple answer, although not necessarily the entire cause, is leveraged […] Read more at http://www.moneyguy.com/2008/09/news-nightmares-bank-debacles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For most parents, saving for their child’s education is always a priority. With the volatility and uncertainty in today’s market, it has become a priority that is not so easy to fund. Most would agree that a hundred dollars here or a hundred dollars there, while not providing a full ride, would definitely help out. […] Read more http://www.moneyguy.com/2008/09/cheese-grits-and-college-savings-black-holes-and-helocs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In tight economic times charities are often hit with increasing needs from the individuals who require their services. To make matters worse, generous donors are struggling with their own financial issues resulting in less donations to their favorite charities. In times like this both donors and charitable organizations have to adapt and become more creative […] Read more at http://www.moneyguy.com/2008/08/tax-smart-and-creative-ways-to-better-the-world Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s show is a grab-bag of goodies. If you keep up with pop-culture, you’ve probably come across the show Extreme Makeover Home Edition. If you’re not familiar with this show, they select a family in need and makeover their home. One family they selected actually lived about fifteen minutes away from me, so when I […] Read more http://www.moneyguy.com/2008/08/fairy-tale-foreclosure-how-a-planner-works-and-dark-knight-review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The mutual fund universe is larger than ever and there are no signs of it slowing down. With more funds, more information, and easier access to this information, how can you go about selecting solid funds that are going to assist you in achieving your life goals? With help from InvestorWords and BusinessDictionary, let’s begin […] Get more information at http://www.moneyguy.com/2008/07/selecting-mutual-fund Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have a special treat for you on this installment of the Money Guy Show! I usually don’t have guests on the show, but today we’re fortunate to be joined by Liz Weston. As many of you will attest, Liz is an award-winning, nationally syndicated personal finance columnist with a unique gift for simplifying complex […] Read more at http://www.moneyguy.com/2008/07/liz-weston-loaded-celebrity-interview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our banking system’s clearly under a lot of stress at the moment. Coming off a decade of aggressive mortgage lending, the system’s troubles have been compounded by a sputtering economy and retreating stock market. As an investor, you need to be smart about insulating yourself from the system’s problems. While I don’t want to be alarmist, a little effort now on your part could pay significant dividends down the road. If nothing else, you’ll sleep better with the knowledge that you’ve assessed your exposure and taken appropriate action. For more, visit the show notes on our site at http://www.moneyguy.com/2008/07/protecting-yourself-u-s-banking-system-under-stress Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pick your economic worry — there’s more than enough to go around: mortgage crisis? faltering U.S. economy? government deficits? skyrocketing oil prices? geo-political instability? rising inflation rates? As a financial planner, I see and feel the anxiety that my clients are experiencing. For most, the anxiety peaks each quarter with the arrival of their once-welcomed, […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"If Thomas Jefferson thought taxation without representation was bad, he should see how it is with representation." – Anonymous Deferring taxes has always been a bedrock principle of retirement planning. The logic is simple: why would anyone pay the government now when tax-deferred accounts allow you to delay your obligation for 15, 25, and maybe […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a Dad." – Anonymous Since we celebrated Father’s Day this past weekend, I thought it’d be fun to discuss how parents can help their children grow up to be financially responsible adults. Building on the ideas of Clark Howard, Dave Ramsey, […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I think a lot about our culture and how the virtues of frugality and simplicity seem to have been forgotten by many of us. As never before, the popular media show us how ultra-wealthy athletes, entertainers, and business titans live, travel, eat, and dress. Combined with easy credit and a "want-it-now" mindset, we’ve started to […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professional financial planning is built on a foundation of trust. You entrust not just your money but also your hopes and dreams with an adviser and planner like me. Above all, you want your planner acting with your best interests at heart. And yet, Shakespeare’s famous advice — "Love all, trust a few" — rings […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Love him or not, Dave Ramsey is a financial planning phenomenon. Consider his popularity: Ramsey’s syndicated radio program, The Dave Ramsey Show, is heard on over 325 radio stations throughout the United States and Canada. Besides being a radio personality, he’s written almost 15 books, three of which have been on the New York Times […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Through my years as a financial planner, I’ve worked with a lot of couples and, unfortunately, seen many of the same money mistakes over and over again. Disappointing, yes … but also a sign that good advice for couples could help many families dodge these common investing pitfalls. In a recent article on Bankrate.com, Dana […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Money-Guy 05-05-2008 With recent stock market ups and downs, immediate annuities are attracting attention from people looking to shelter themselves from volatility. But do they make financial sense? If so, for whom and when? (An immediate annuity, you might recall, is an investment product that’s purchased with a single payment and begins to pay out […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being a financial planner myself, I loved an article that The New York Times featured over the weekend, "Pick a Planner Who Can Spell ‘Fiduciary’". For those who don’t know me, let me assure you that while I might not be a great grammarian, I definitely know, understand, and can spell the word ‘fiduciary‘! 😉 […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Hansen from Dateline NBC devoted an entire hour on April 13, 2008 to the topic of equity-indexed annuities and the unscrupulous tactics sometimes used to sell them to seniors. (Recognize Hansen’s name? He’s best known for his work on the Dateline NBC television segment To Catch a Predator. These controversial investigations revolved around catching […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If I told you about a popular investment product that was yielding 40% less than it did last year, you’d probably think it was one of the great financial meltdowns of 2008. But, what if I also told you that investors seemed indifferent to this product’s decreased yield and were actually accelerating their rate of […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m short on notes today, but heavy on great information in the audio of the show. I first provide my detailed perspective on the performance of the market in the first quarter of 2008. I then talk at length about staying focused on why you invested in the financial markets in the first place. If […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re currently in the final weeks of tax preparation season. As many of you know, I do just enough tax return preparation every year to make me wonder why I do taxes! Joking aside, I believe I’m a better adviser for my clients if I know how the tax code works. Still, it gets a […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After you’ve been in an auto accident, you count your ten fingers and ten toes. Then, the stress sets in that you will have to deal with an insurance company. Don’t worry! In today’s show, I’m going to give you some tips to navigate through the process and protect yourself financially. Before we get into […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m a day late with this post because I spent most of yesterday fielding concerned phone calls and writing a market update letter for my clients. It’s during these volatile times that good advisers prove their worth to clients, and as you can imagine it’s also a stressful time. With that said, I know that […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve reviewed the Money Guy site recently, you’ve probably noticed that we added a fun "widget" which rotates through some of Warren Buffett’s wiser observations about money, business, and life. Most of those quotes come directly from his annual letter to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway. Every February, I eagerly await its release because […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Money-Guy 03-03-2008 In this week’s show, I help you find $200 a month by just calling your "Ungrateful Providers". Now this does not mean that your auto or homeowner’s insurance agent is not appreciative of your relationship. It means that the insurance and utility industry are set up to take advantage of laziness. I am […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I talk about the need to save for retirement all the time on the Money Guy Show. However, I have not done a show discussing what you can expect from these savings once you hit the retirement phase of your life. Before all of my young readers and listeners tune out or click to close […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I was asked to write a guest post for fivecentnickel.com that will be posted while nickel is on vacation. I decided to base my post on the timeless advice of Warren Buffett and some of his most notable quotes. As I was researching the post I could not help but notice a trend in Buffett’s quotes: growing money takes time and patience. Read more at http://www.moneyguy.com/2008/02/time-and-money-it-can-be-your-best-friend Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever wondered if you should prepay your mortgage? In today's show I give you the information to make an informed decision based upon your personal situation. We take into account the analytical side of the decision as well as the emotional relief that can come from being DEBT FREE…. Read more at http://www.moneyguy.com/2008/02/should-you-prepay-your-mortgage-and-mutual-fund-opportunities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

January is officially history and there was a tremendous amount of volatility. On today's show I share how you can turn the lemons of January into sweet lemonade that can provide complete peace of mind on one of your largest assets (your home). For more information, visit the show notes at www.moneyguy.com/2008/02/nuts-and-bolts-of-obtaining-a-mortgage-and-how-to-cut-closing-costs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are covering: Details of the Government’s bipartisan economic stimulus program “How to drive your tax preparer crazy” discussion with CPA, Brandon Verner Listener’s Question Answered: What to do with 401k accounts from prior jobs Read more at http://moneyguy.com/2008/01/stimulus-package-tax-preparation-discussion-and-ira-rollovers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you need proof that this broad sell-off is nothing new then read an article that I wrote back in October 2002. (click here for a copy) In the article I let readers know that diversification and not letting their emotions get the best of them is the secret to long-term investing. Read more at http://www.moneyguy.com/2008/01/coping-with-an-uncertain-market-us-credit-under-fire-and-what-does-900-gold-mean Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new year can represent a fresh start for many. I know that many out there have made financial resolutions and I want to be a resource to help you reach that goal of financial independence. Let's talk about some of the big areas that may need attention: Wills Life Insurance Beneficiary Designations on Life Insurance and Retirement Plans Asset Allocation For more information, visit the show notes at www.moneyguy.com/2008/01/2008-financial-resolutions-and-how-not-to-have-a-1987-portfolio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The emotions that your brain creates can lead to disaster if you do not know how to recognize where your decisions and actions are coming from (analytical side of the brain or emotional instinct to avoid risk). Remember when you are wondering if the financial markets are going up or down the answer is always, “YES” For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/12/money-and-your-brain-amt-update Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you are a Georgia listener then Christmas has come early this year. As of December 11th the GA 529 plan has been drastically improved (probably because of the pressure of competition between the different 529 plans). The big improvements included: ** Georgia state income tax deduction update – For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2007, contributions to an account are deductible up to $2,000 on behalf of any Beneficiary for Georgia income tax purposes. A Georgia taxpayer is not required to itemize his or her deductions to make this adjustment to income. Furthermore, there are no longer annual income limitations to claim this deduction. For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/12/ga-education-update-financial-leftovers-and-sex-drugs-hedge-funds/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Current events are impacting the world of personal finance and the financial markets. Many of you have asked me to provide more input on current financial events, and if you are one of those listeners you will get more than your fill with this show. For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/12/mortgage-plan-review-e-commerce-booming-and-candidates-take-on-social-security Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White House lowers ’08 economic forecast (click here for more information) October foreclosure filings up 94% over last year (click here for more information) I did not want you to think that I was only pulling out the bad news… I did want to give you a little ray of hope with this article: Q3 economic growth fastest in four years, revision shows (click here for more information) ** "Free" credit reports ** Many of you have probably figured this out. It appears that the credit reporting companies have figured out how to squeeze a ton of profit out of consumers for something that is suppose to be "Free". For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/12/the-economy-free-credit-reports-and-improving-your-401k Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Capital Gains Looming Once Again by David Hoffman with Investment News… Investment News is an industry magazine that I get, but I think the information in the article is important because it ties to our discussion from last week about the level of distributions that many of us will recieve this year from our Mutual Funds. What Kind of Loan Should You Get provided by SmartMoney.com… Many of you have asked me to share my insights on what type of loan you should get for your home. For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/11/capital-gains-mortgages-and-retire-early-but-beware Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s show we discuss: 1st Segment includes information on what you need to look at with your portfolio at year end. ** Harvesting Tax Losses ** Avoiding Year End Mutual Fund purchases until after you determine whether year end distributions have been made by the fund (could be as high as 10% in some popular funds this year). ** Charitable donation reminder 2nd Segment Six Ways to Save on Auto Insurance by Stephanie AuWerter from SmartMoney Magazine 3rd Segment What’s Wrong with Variable Annuities article publised on the SmartMoney.com website For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/11/year-taxes-investments-auto-insurance-savings-variable-annuities/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Defending credit card companies is hard to do because they do have quite a few practices that are down right sleazy (shrinking grace periods, escalating interest rate, holiday due dates, etc.), but if used properly they can be a helpful financial tool. In this episode we share articles from the following: "8 Experts Recall Their Best Personal Finance Advice" by Dana Dratch from bankrate.com "Are Credit Cards Evil, or Just Dangerous?" by Liz Pulliam Weston from MSN Money "Where Do You Stand in the Wealth Spectrum?" by Lee Eisenberg from Bankrate.com "Dealing With a Disaster and Your Insurance Company" by Jennie L. Phipps with Bankrate.com/Yahoo Finance. For links and more resources, visit our show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/11/great-personal-finance-advice-are-credit-cards-evil-and-the-wealth-spectrum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Should You Be Investing In the Roth 401(k)?" – I have received several emails from listeners asking questions about Roth 401k options at their workplace. I actually covered this topic in the first quarter issue of the "Wealth Report" newsletter. I am using that article in today’s show. For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/10/roth-401k-financial-records-to-keep-and-social-security Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) called last week and let me know that they were stopping by our offices. As you can imagine, this is not my favorite kind of phone call. We had nothing to hide or worry about, but it’s still a stressful situation. In light of this visit I decided that this would be a great time for me to focus the show on a few "rainy day" articles I had put away to discuss. For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/10/financial-leftovers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Points of Consideration for Education Planning Many of you have written to ask that I provide some guidance on education planning and I have stayed away from the subject because education planning is one of those subjects that has a limited audience. I always try to do the Money Guy show with the understanding that we have listeners that are new to investing and personal financial planning as well as tried and true weathered investors that I can still enlighten from time to time with my insight. For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/10/college-planning-savings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Terms needed to understand asset allocation: Domestic Stocks = US Companies Market Capitalization of US Stocks (According to Morningstar): Large Cap = US Companies with a Market Cap greater than $11 Billion (these are the companies that are household names like Wal-Mart, GE, Home Depot, Coca-Cola, Pfizer, and so forth) Mid Cap = US Companies with a Market Cap between $2-$11 Billion (these are companies that you might have heard of like HR Block, but are not the size of the previous listed group. Small Cap = US Companies with a Market Cap below $2 Billion. Probably not going to recognize the small company unless you specifically use their product or they are in your town. For more terms, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/10/asset-allocation-basics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Basic Definitions Diversification: The idea of spreading out your money across many different types of investments. Choosing to diversify your investment holdings reduces your risk tremendously. Risk Tolerance: An investor’s ability to withstand losses caused by one or more of the different types of risk. This ability can be limited by your temperament as well as your time frame and financial circumstances. For example, someone who is investing for a goal 10 to 20 years or more in the future generally has a higher risk tolerance and may feel more comfortable with riskier investments than a person whose investment goal is only 5 years away or less. Bull Market... For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/09/mastering-the-world-of-investing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The focus of the program is on the changing retirement landscape. 1974 Retirement Funding: 11% Employee 89% Employer 2006 Retirement Funding: 51% Employee 49% Employer Defined Pensions: The Endangered Species For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/09/retirement-in-crisis-update Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The most important concept that determines how financially successful an individual/family is going to be is: * Deferred gratification * The hardest part of financial independence is not the investing… it is the savings factor: In today’s world it is getting harder to be a good disciplined financial household. There is so much outside influence and temptation that only the strongest make it (faking success). **Credit Cards ** The desire to drive a new flashy car ** “Same as Cash” for everything including Furniture, Electronics, & Plastic Surgery For more information, including How to Accumulate $1,000,000 by Age 65, visit the show notes at www.moneyguy.com/2007/09/simple-advice-for-your-finances Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I personally make use of both credit cards and the large sum of equity that I have in my personal residence. I responsibly pay my credit cards off each month, but thoroughly enjoy the $1,200 to $1,500 of annual rewards and cash back that I receive. I also use my home equity as a tool that allows me not to keep huge sums of cash sitting on the sidelines just in case I need money for an emergency. I want as much of my money working for me at all times, so that eventually my army of working dollars earns more than I can make with my back, hands, and brain. Let’s face it: Investment income that is automatic and pays your monthly bills can open your life to many more opportunities as well as complete financial independence. However, I am quickly realizing that many have gone too far in the use of debt. Just as Alan Greenspan spoke of the late 90s equity markets with the words, irrational exuberance, I think that we can use the exact the same logic and apply it to the average person’s use of debt. Many have taken the tool of debt to levels that are now causing them to sink into financial ruin. For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/08/financial-devastation-through-debt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

the benefits of using Long/Short Funds. A long/short fund takes advantage of a technique that many hedge funds use that allows them to make money in both a rising and falling market. Long/short fund managers divide their funds’ assets into two types of positions (long and short holdings). Long positions – meaning they buy stocks expecting that they will rise in value and can be sold at some point in the future at a gain (this is the traditional form of investing that most investors are use to… buy value priced stocks with the anticipation of selling for a gain) For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/08/act-rich-and-protect-yourself-from-a-down-market Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I have spent the last two weeks preparing for the IRS. Unfortunately, I still do a small number of business tax returns (old habits are hard to get away from). One of my small business tax clients was selected for a full examination (Audit). I have over over 10 years of experience in completing tax returns, and this is the first business return that has been selected for an audit. I guess it was my turn to sit on the hot seat. We had the IRS agents here in the office on Wed. and then we met at the client’s business on Thursday for a site evaluation and Q&A session. I am elated that we made it through the audit without any problems and the client did not have to pay any additional taxes, but as you can imagine it has been a stress that has caused a few nights of restless sleep. I knew that we had nothing to hide, but you never know where there might be a difference of opinion on deductions. For more information, visit the show notes at http://www.moneyguy.com/2007/07/attn-small-business-owners-a-legal-way-to-hide-money-from-the-tax-man Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices