Tax season is here again. The tax filing deadline for 2011 is April 18. The IRS is giving taxpayers an extra three days to file their taxes because Washington, D.C., is celebrating a public holiday on the usual filing deadline of April 15. Don’t you feel lucky? In the spirit of tax season, here are five investment tax tips that will save you time and money. 1. Make Investing Your Priority: Taxes should always be a secondary consideration in your investment decisions. Making an investment decision solely for tax purposes is a mistake. If you don’t like the future prospects of a stock or … [Read more...]
In the Money
Are you impressed by the strength of the U.S. stock market? After a mini correction that took the S&P 500 down 7% from its recent high, stocks have almost recovered all of their losses. This, despite the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, a still uncertain outcome to Japan’s nuclear tragedy, a flare-up in the European debt crisis, an unmistakable double-dip in U.S. housing, and surging food and energy prices. Yes, the strength of this market is impressive, but not at all surprising. As I’ve written previously, the market is focused almost exclusively on one variable, and that variable is … [Read more...]
Who’s Looking Out for You?
Do you ever wonder why the guys on TV are selling you gold if it’s so valuable? Why don’t they just pocket it for themselves? Some pretty good money is being made in the transactions they’re promoting, don’t you think? With all that selling, there’s buying too. Like the bookie in Vegas, the gold guy is after the vig, or commission, from both sides of the transaction. He doesn’t really care if gold goes up or down. He just happens to be promoting the buy side on television. All the while, it’s quite possible he sees a line of sellers wrapped around the block outside his office. You don’t … [Read more...]
Sage Advice
I recently came across an article by Arthur Zeikel in the March/April 1995 edition of the Financial Analysts Journal (FAJ). Zeikel was the head of Merrill Lynch Asset Management at the time. The article was written in the format of a letter to his daughter. The title is “Managing Your Own Portfolio.” I’ve included a few excerpts from the letter below. In the current environment with risk-free interest rates near zero and the stock market performing like it’s a riskless bet, the pressure to make emotionally charged investment decisions is immense. You start thinking you don’t want to miss … [Read more...]
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