Posts by Thad Gilliam, CFA, CFP®
20 Second Advisor: Target Retirement Funds – Good or Bad Idea?
For a lot of investors, the 401(k) is the main savings vehicle for accumulating wealth. 401(k) plans often provide matching contributions which helps you to save more each year, and reach your retirement goals quicker. The downside (in my mind) of some 401(k) plans is that you have limited investment options. It may be difficult…
Read More20 Second Advisor: Hey Parents! Cash for Chores May Create Entitled Kids.
We have three little kids in our family. We are constantly trying to get them to clean their room, pickup their toys…the list goes on. In the past we had a chore system that worked pretty well. If kids did their chores for the day, they got up to 2 “checks” per day (one for…
Read More20 Second Advisor: Perils of Timing the Market…Again.
Let’s be honest. We’re in a weird place. COVID-19 seems to be getting better, but we are not out of the woods yet. With your investments, we are in a similar spot. The S&P 500 dropped from 3386 to 2237 (34% loss) from mid February until late March. In less than 60 days, the S&P…
Read More20 Second Advisor: Get in line! More funds for small business during COVID-19.
One of the more popular programs of the recent CARES Act was the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Under the PPP, impacted businesses can apply for loans to cover payroll, rent, utilities, etc. If the proceeds are used to retain and pay employees, the loan can be forgiven. Up to 2.5 months (10 weeks) of payroll…
Read More20 Second Advisor: Get Help From Coronavirus Stimulus Bill
We hope all of you are hanging in there as COVID-19 continues to spread and families/businesses hunker down for the month of April. Congress approved the Coronavirus Stimulus Package last week to help shore up the economy. Here are the details: Couples earning under $150,000 will get $2,400 cash payment ($1,200 if you’re single and…
Read More20 Second Advisor: Why It’s Easy to Retire in GA.
Retiring takes a lot of hard work, saving, and discipline. However, if you chose to retire in Georgia, there are some great tax benefits that make the transition to retirement a little cheaper and easier. Here are the main benefits of retiring in GA: GA Retirement Income Exclusion: This allows GA taxpayers (age 65 and…
Read More20 Second Advisor: SECURE Act Means More Roth Conversions
The SECURE Act was recently enacted by Congress. There are several new rules pertaining to retirement such as new Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) ages, inherited IRA provisions, and accessing your IRA money for certain expenses. One of the planning opportunities that arises with the new law is potentially doing more Roth IRA conversions for retirees.…
Read More20 Second Advisor: Live your best life & tweak your 2020 budget
The new year is a great time to take stock of your life’s direction. Review what’s going right and what’s gone off course in your life. Sit down and REALLY think about what you value most. Maybe it’s family. Maybe it’s travel and new experiences. Maybe it’s giving back or solving a societal issue. Ask…
Read More20 Second Advisor: Investing Tip for the Next Decade: Diversify
When looking back on the past decade, most investors realized favorable returns. It’s easy to have hindsight bias and wish you had invested in the absolute best performing asset class(es). For example, you might look back and wish you had over-weighted investments in the US technology sector. However, in the earlier decade (2000-2009), US technology…
Read More20 Second Advisor: Important Update at TD Ameritrade; Two award-winning firms come together
As you may have heard in the news, Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade have reached an agreement for Schwab to acquire TD Ameritrade. Most all of the Verisail clients have their assets custodied at TD Ameritrade. After the merger, the combined company will retain the Schwab name, and will reflect the best that each legacy…
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