Retirement Savings
One of the most fundamental jobs of the financial planner is to assist our clients with retirement savings. How much do you need to save? Which account types should you use? Given multiple options, where should you save your money first? The following articles discuss these and other questions relating to retirement savings. Are […]
The Latest on Inflation/Rates and Where We Go from Here
Without question, over the past year, the most common topic we have discussed with clients is inflation and rates. Whether you are in retirement, peak accumulation years, or just starting out, inflation has impacted everyone… from raised costs at the grocery store, to travel, to even attending a sporting event. Fortunately, there are increasing signs […]
Resources
We keep informed on the latest trends and market insights so we can offer you the best opportunities, support and expertise – whenever you need it. Topics Select Topic 401k & Benefits Asset Allocation Ballast News Budgeting Business Buying & Selling Business Decision Support Business Planning and Consulting Business Plans Career Counseling Cash Flow Center […]
The Similarities Between Running and Saving
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. – Lao Tzu It’s race season. With the Bluegrass 10k and other races in Lexington approaching, there has been much discussion about training and running plans in the office. This recent talk about running made me realize that achieving a financial goal is […]
Artificial Intelligence Wrote this Commentary in 5 Minutes
By: Cameron Hamilton, CFP®, MBA Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will Improve Productivity Tools are Publicly Available for Laypeople without Coding Knowledge Workers and Companies Must Adapt to New Technology Artificial Intelligence wrote this commentary in five minutes. Not the one you’re reading, but rather the one available at the hyperlink. […]
Pre-RMD & Social Security Roth Conversions
Key Takeaways: Retiring before age 70 is the norm in the United States. While longevity continues to increase, the desire to retire later, work part-time in retirement or have a transitional job before retirement does not appeal to the masses. From a financial advisor standpoint, this presents ample financial planning opportunities for retirees before they […]
Retirement Savings
The Ballast Atheneum is a collection of our thoughts on the twelve most important topics in financial planning. Today, the focus is on Insurance. A fundamental job of a financial planner is to assist clients with retirement savings. How much do you need to save? Which account types should you use? Given multiple options, where […]
Asset Allocation Factors: Time and Emotion
When we meet with a new client, one of our tasks is to determine an appropriate asset allocation for the funds they invest. At a very basic level, the question we are trying to answer is “what percentage of the investment portfolio will be comprised of equities (stocks), and what percentage will be fixed-income (bonds)?” […]
Employers: Why should you offer employee benefits?
Key Takeaways: We have discussed at length the benefits that many employers may offer up and above salaries: retirement, insurance, pension, health savings plans, etc. These benefits can be very attractive to employees, with some simply seeking employment to obtain these benefits, like health insurance. This commentary changes the perspective. Let’s start to think about […]
Fed Rates, Inflation, Yields
What a difference a couple of years makes. Even the casual fan has likely heard the talk about interest rates and felt inflation during these past twenty-four months. Two years ago, in February 2021, the Federal Funds target rate was 0 – 0.25%. It remained there until just over a year ago in March 2022. […]
Employee Stock Ownership & Options
Key Takeaways: When evaluating a job offer, it is best not to focus only on salary or an hourly wage. We have the pleasure of speaking to MBA students each year and it seems like this is the biggest slip-up in job searches and compensation negotiations; you have to include benefits to get a true […]
Review Your Benefits as You Progress Through Life
Key Takeaways: For many in the workforce, their employers provide them with benefits up and above their salary. Life and disability insurance are very common examples (Note: health insurance is also a very common example but will be addressed in a later article). Many times, these benefits show up as a simple line item on […]
