Numerous reports estimate that the total cost for the announced US Government programs to cure the financial crisis and jump start the economy adds up to a cool $7 Trillion!

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Accounting Rule: Mark to Market, Mark to Reality, or Mark to Fantasy

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by Richard Feldman, CFP®, MBA, AIF®

I have never heard people discuss accountants as much as I have over the last eighteen months of the economic downturn. It became even more acute on April 2nd when the Financial Accounting Standards Board agreed to alter an accounting rule, FAS 157, which is known as Mark to Market. This rule, depending on who you talk to, either brings clarity to bank balance sheets or has been one of the key destroyers of economic capital in the most recent recession.

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Get An Income Makeover Courtesy of Uncle Sam

Robert web.jpg by Robert Gordon, CFP®, MBA, AIF®

A few folks might benefit from a little known provision in the Social Security code - the Request for Withdrawal of Application. Many early retirees find themselves with a smaller nest egg but with the same monthly expenses to cover. In most cases they have two options: continue to take a steady amount from their reduced investment portfolio or reduce their withdrawal in line with the decline in portfolio value. Continuing their withdrawal at a constant dollar amount threatens the survivability of their assets - a scary prospect for most. Reducing the withdrawal percentage makes sense; however, typically, it is difficult to imagine a significant reduction in income even for a short period of time. The Social Security Administration offers an option which may help in replacing lost income; it's called the Request for Withdrawal of Application.

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10 Investment Ideas for Today - After the cows have left the barn

by Jason Whitby, CFP®,CFA, MBA, AIF®

In a world where asset diversification has seemingly failed, what do you do? My account is down 10%, 20%, 50%; isn't there a better way? Aren't there other options we should consider? What are we doing differently? What have we learned? What have we been considering that is different? These are just a few of the questions that I've been getting over the last few months, and rightfully so. You should know what we have been thinking about and considering. Here is a very general overview for 10 of the more noteworthy options which we have either reviewed or been discussing.

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Where Are They This Time?

by Jeremy Carpenter, MBA

Whether you've been with us for a long time or a short time, you know that our ideology is steeped in the belief, and research confirms this, that passive management yields greater returns over time. You know that active management generally doesn't outperform the benchmark index; most times it underperforms, especially after fees and taxes. You also know that past performance is no indication of future performance and the worst investment strategy would be to select a fund based on its past performance. It's a guaranteed losing strategy.

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