Associated Advisory Group

09/18/2014

We are flooded with information telling us to simply put money in the markets and to “set it and forget it.” “Don’t worry about it,” they say, “Markets go up and down, but over the long term they always go up!”

But . . . what if they don’t? What's your strategy?

http://blog.associatedadvisorygroup.com/blog/ReadArticle.asp?id=276

You see, in my profession, I always have to consider the “what ifs.” What if, while cooking your meat and having a glass of wine, the machine explodes? What if the oven not only blew up your meal, but also took out a section of your home? Now, that would get your attention! We would have to change t…

08/25/2014

Are you considering a "backdoor Roth IRA"? Backdoor Roths can be a valuable asset, but if you do consider it, make sure you carefully contemplate all the ramifications ...

http://blog.associatedadvisorygroup.com/blog/ReadArticle.asp?id=257

Stephanie wants to contribute to a Roth IRA. She is concerned about taxes rising in the future and she does not want to bear that burden. Smart gal. The problem is that she earns too much money to contribute to a Roth IRA. Stephanie asked her broker about any solutions available to her that will all…

07/24/2014

There could be a few things that your financial advisor doesn't want you to know... Is yours holding back on any of these four aspects of your finances?

http://blog.associatedadvisorygroup.com/blog/ReadArticle.asp?id=243

Ideally, financial advisers should be working together with their clients, for their best interests, and therefore should not have any secrets, or be withholding information. Nevertheless, that it is not always the case. I am going to throw a wide net here; in my opinion there are a few things that…

07/16/2014

Next time you visit the Department of Motor Vehicles, if you encounter young workers who seem exceptionally bright, competent, and motivated, you don’t have to wonder why they’re there. It’s because they now have you paying for their student loans. Get the scoop from this week's Aurora Family Finance.

http://blog.associatedadvisorygroup.com/blog/ReadArticle.asp?id=234

Who has heard of the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan the US government has implemented for federal student loans? The truth is: not many. More than 12 percent of student loan borrowers are defaulting, even while there are other options—such as Income-Based Repayment—available to them. And while IB…

07/07/2014

With summer brings vacation, and who does not love a vacation? But if we start throwing around the b-word, "budget", oftentimes we feel like we are ruining the fun. Check out these five tips to avoid vacation debt!

http://blog.associatedadvisorygroup.com/blog/ReadArticle.asp?id=225

Thankfully, summer is finally here. Summer is here, the weather is warm, and the days are long. Of course, with summer brings vacation, and who does not love a vacation? We can all agree they are well-deserved. But if we start throwing around the b-word, budget, oftentimes we feel like we are ruinin…

07/04/2014

Happy Fourth of July! Enjoy some food and fireworks with your friends and family!

06/30/2014

Social Security benefits are getting trickier by the day! Make sure you are getting the most from your social security strategy in this recent article.

http://blog.associatedadvisorygroup.com/blog/ReadArticle.asp?id=216

A sound retirement plan consists of three essential pieces: an advanced tax plan (ATP), an income plan, and an investment plan. While the investment plan should be the nucleus, proper income and tax plans are critical and are often overlooked.

06/16/2014

Outstanding student loans now total over $1.2 trillion and that number continues to grow. With the exception of the Federal Reserve spending spree, many experts see student debt as the next financial crisis and Tony agrees.

Learn about these five strategies to help your kids avoid graduating with a pile of debt on their degree:

http://blog.associatedadvisorygroup.com/blog/ReadArticle.asp?id=206

A common concern for middle class American parents is finding a way to pay for their children’s college education without going broke. Our youth, on the other hand, want to graduate from college without drowning in debt. With the exception of the Federal Reserve spending spree, many experts see stud…

06/09/2014

Are you suffering from "warm and fuzzy" syndrome? Do you think you're "back to even"? Do you know your "true rate of return"? Look out! You may be falling for one of these common misconceptions with your financial planning!

http://blog.associatedadvisorygroup.com/blog/ReadArticle.asp?id=196

Lately, I have met a slew of folks all wanting to have the same old discussions about allocation strategies, historical performance, top mutual fund managers, price to earnings (PE) ratios, or whatever else their brokers deem to be the hot topic of the day in the shark-infested shallows of the stock…

06/03/2014

It may be desirable, and necessary, to name a trust as the beneficiary of an IRA account to control access to the funds after your death.

However, great care should be taken in making this decision. If you mess it up you will not get a chance to fix it, because you are probably already dead...

http://blog.associatedadvisorygroup.com/blog/ReadArticle.asp?id=176

Often when I am performing a financial review for folks, I am asked whether they should name a trust as the beneficiary of an IRA. The first question I ask anyone who is thinking of naming a trust as an IRA beneficiary is . . . Why?

05/28/2014

There’s no question that beef prices have shot up dramatically in the past year. While you and I see this hitting our budgets, it is not clearly shown in the inflation numbers because Uncle Sam has decided we do not buy enough beef for it to matter.

Get the real scoop on inflation and your budget plans in this week's Aurora Family Finance.

> http://blog.associatedadvisorygroup.com/blog/ReadArticle.asp?id=186

When I got to the cooler at the supermarket, I looked quickly at the prices for a package of steak and thought the butcher made a mistake pricing them. So I asked the butcher if they were priced correctly. He nodded his head yes and said that prices for meat have risen over 20 percent in a year.

05/26/2014

, today and everyday, the men and women who gave everything for our country.