Boston financial advisor Choosing a financial advisor

How to Find a Fee-Only Financial Advisor

When starting to search for a financial advisor, investors may not realize the different types of advisors out there...and they're not all trying to sell you something. Unfortunately, investors who want to find a financial advisor may be deterred by advisors who are mostly interested in selling life insurance policies…

Kristin McKennaOctober 19, 2020

Forbes Retirement Planning Updated for 2020

Here’s What Maxing Out Your 401(k) Could Get You In Retirement

Is maxing out your 401(k) enough? When saving for retirement, you’ll want to find out what level of income your current contributions could provide down the road. For some investors, saving diligently during their working years will be enough to provide the lifestyle they want in retirement. But for others,…

Kristin McKennaOctober 12, 2020

Stock options

What Happens to Stock Options When a Public Company Goes Private?

With so much emphasis on IPOs, investors are sometimes surprised when publicly traded companies decide to go private. There are many reasons a company may choose to go private. Dry powder flowing into private equity funds only fuel the trend. For employees of a public company going private via buyout,…

Kristin McKennaOctober 5, 2020

Brokerage Account Investing Updated for 2020

What is a Brokerage Account? Reasons to Use a Brokerage Account

What is a brokerage account? A brokerage account is a non-retirement investment account. Essentially, a brokerage account is the opposite of a retirement account like an IRA or 401(k) in nearly every way. There are no restrictions (income, investment options, limited additions, access, etc.) or tax benefits. Because there are…

Kristin McKennaSeptember 28, 2020

Diversification Forbes Investing Managing Risk Stock options

If You Own Too Much Stock In One Company, It’s a Good Time To Consider Diversifying

Can you own too much of your employer's stock? Undoubtedly, yes. Does holding a lot of company stock create the potential for a large windfall? Also, yes. For employees, it can be difficult to know how much company stock is too much. But identifying a concentrated position is often just…

Kristin McKennaSeptember 21, 2020

Forbes Home buying Interest rates Mortgages

Putting A Lump Sum Towards Your Mortgage Won’t Lower Your Payment

Putting extra cash towards your mortgage doesn't lower your payment If you have extra cash and are considering putting it towards paying down your mortgage early, you should be aware that it won’t automatically reduce your payment. Putting extra cash towards your mortgage doesn’t change your payment unless you ask…

Kristin McKennaSeptember 14, 2020

Estate Planning Inheritance Tax & Estate Planning Trusts Updated for 2020 Wealth and Family

Inheriting a Trust Fund: Distributions to Beneficiaries

If you're inheriting a trust fund, you likely have questions about how the distribution payouts to beneficiaries work and the tax implications. While general information about how trust funds work is useful, there are limitations. Trusts can be complex, highly customizable tools, so what applies to one situation may not…

Kristin McKennaAugust 31, 2020

Asset Management Current events Forbes Investing

How The Stock Market Has Performed Before, During, And After Presidential Elections

How The Stock Market Has Performed Before, During, And After Presidential Elections There’s a lot going on during any normal election year, but fittingly, this time seems different. Of course, when it comes to investing, unless you have a crystal ball, it’s not worth trying to predict the future. Indulging…

Kristin McKennaAugust 24, 2020

Choosing a financial advisor Forbes

Do I Need A Financial Advisor Or Should I Do It Myself? Here’s When It’s Worth It To Get A Financial Advisor.

The age-old question: are financial advisors worth it? Deciding whether to get a financial advisor or manage your own investments is a big decision. Not everyone needs an ongoing relationship with a financial planner or investment advisor. But many investors who would benefit from working with a wealth advisor don't…

Kristin McKennaAugust 17, 2020

Asset Management Current events Investing

Stock Market Performance by President (in Charts)

As the next U.S. presidential election nears, investors may be wondering what the implications are for their investments. How will the stock market react if the incumbent (President Trump) wins? What will markets do if the current Republican administration is replaced by a Democratic one? How does the stock market…

Kristin McKennaAugust 12, 2020

Wealth Management Insights