As I write this article, the Dow Jones Industrial Average sits at 13,000 – almost exactly double what it was during the market lows of March 2009. Good news, right? Not if you’re one of the many investors who chose to get out of the market over the last three years.
Bid-Ask Spread
What is the difference between the bid price and the ask price? On Trade Day, I frequently receive this question from our clients. When we teach you the Snider Method, we always tell you to look at the bid price when deciding which options to sell, but I commonly run into people asking what the difference between the two is. Hopefully, I can clear up any confusion.
Snider ETF Portfolio: Defined
Since our release of the new Snider Method ETF Portfolio, we have received several calls with interest in implementing the new strategy. The new strategy takes the time tested Traditional Snider Method and implements the use of low-cost ETFs, along with a new allocation system. While we have no reason to stray from the Traditional Snider Method, the new ETF portfolio can offer other values depending on your objectives. Below you will find a list of popular questions that we have been receiving regarding this new strategy.
Overspending in Retirement
As an advisor with a specialty in an income investment strategy, a majority of our clients rely on their portfolios as one of their primary sources of income in retirement. That also means their portfolio needs to be around throughout their entire lifetime. I manage both portfolios as well as client’s expectations in order to help them avoid the devastating possibility of running out of money.
ETFs and the Snider Method
In the Snider Investment Method, positions are typically composed of various individual stocks to generate portfolio income. However, in smaller accounts, Lattco may generate Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) instead of individual stocks. ETFs are generated in smaller accounts because this helps diversify the portfolio and reduce company specific risk, which is at its greatest when an account only has one or two positions. But what are ETFs and how do they work? Read on to find out.
The Importance of a Solid Budget
One of the most common deficiencies I find in people’s financial household is a solid budget. An outline of your expected monthly expenses, as compared to the income you expect to receive. This surprises me because of how important a budget is to your overall financial plan. I often find that people have a ballpark idea of what they spend, but when asked to identify exactly what they spend on specific goods and services, they very seldom can pinpoint these expenses. Today I will provide you with a budget outline and a way to get on track with your monthly cash flow.
Don’t Forget Your 401K
When leaving a job, whether it’s due to being laid off, finding a better position with a different company, retiring, or starting a business, you have to decide what to do with the money you have accumulated in your 401(k) or 403(b) plan. Many people don’t realize they have choices and end up leaving the funds in the 401(k) at their previous employers. Why would anyone leave their 401(k) behind when they leave their job? In effect they are trusting that someone they probably don’t know, at a job they no longer work at, is going to have their best interest in mind as they manage their future. You are only allowed to take control of these funds when you leave your job. More often than not, the opportunity to roll these funds into an IRA is extremely beneficial.
How Confident are You about Retirement?
Earlier this month, the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) released their 22nd annual Retirement Confidence Survey. However, the findings of the past several years indicate the report might be more aptly named the lack of confidence survey. Sadly, only 14% of Americans are very confident they will have enough money to live comfortably in retirement.
