Generation Lost?

There is an increasing amount of attention gathering around the Millennial generations’ entrance (or attempted entrance) into the workforce. This is truly the workforce of tomorrow, yet things will be very different from the experiences of the previous Baby Boomer generation. The common dream of going to college, starting that dream job, starting a family and purchasing a home have all been faded by the current economic climate. While I realize that the majority of our readers are probably not in this generation, the mass majority of you do have children or family members who are.

How Are You Spending Your Tax Refund?

With tax season behind most of us refund checks are starting to roll in. According to statistics from the IRS this year’s average federal tax refund will be around $2,913. When met with a windfall of funds sometimes our mind can play tricks on us. People tend to view buckets of money differently based on how the funds were earned. Behavioral finance refers to this term as mental accounting.

My First Snider Investment Method Trade

I first started working at Snider Advisors back in May 2005. Since then, I’ve either placed or reviewed over 100,000 Snider Method trades for clients’ accounts. But, today I did something brand new; I placed my first trades in a personal account.

The Market Recovered. Did You?

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.