Our Weekend Word

As part of our ongoing efforts to help keep your personal information as safe as possible, we want to remind you to stay on the lookout for the many security threats making the rounds in cyberspace today.   Over the past few months we have taken the sent out a few emails about Identity Theft and what happens after a Cyber Breach and you can check those out again at http://www.laurelfinancialgroup.com/blog

Recently, we learned about a massive Equifax breach in which more than 143 million consumers (almost half the country!) may have had their information compromised, including:​

Any time you’re thinking of putting money to work for you it’s important to know what to expect along the way. 

After a cyber breach, we tend to think in terms of what the victim needs to do next. Can any of the stolen data be protected after the fact? What can the victim do to secure confidential information going forward? But for a change, let’s talk about the crime from the cyber thief’s point of view. What does the crook do with our data once he or she has stolen it?

Fluctuations in your 401(k) or workplace retirement savings account can stir up negative emotions, making you want to hit the panic button. But in turbulent times, it’s more important than ever to remain calm and stay on course toward your long-term retirement savings goals.

Taking a loan from your 401(k) can be tempting, but here are a few things to consider before taking one out. 

What makes someone wealthy? According to the Schwab Modern Wealth Survey almost half of Americans believe being wealthy is being able to spend money on experiences and things. Which makes sense; a nice car, house, watch and/or clothes are easy to notice.  On the other hand, asking a friend or colleague to see their bank account or 401k might be a little awkward and intrusive. Then again it might make for a great sociology experiment.  In that same survey only 27% people believe having a lot of money made someone wealthy. 

Every time you rent a car on a trip the friendly person at the desk asks if you would like to purchase insurance through them for your rental. 

As some of you may know Aaron is our resident baseball fanatic. Earlier this month baseball celebrated a fictitious holiday, Bobby Bonilla day.  Bobby Bonilla day is where baseball fans recognize the annual payment of $1,193,248.20 to Bonilla from the Mets.  If you’re confused on what this means, or why it matters read on.

As financial planners we spend a lot of time looking at portfolio returns. One of the most important things we can do when analyzing these returns is to maintain perspective. This means keeping in mind how long-term averages and goals are achieved and reminding ourselves what accomplishing these return goals can look like over short periods of time.