Financial News

529 plans are an excellent way to save for college.  However, there are alternative investment platforms that can complement these college savings plans.  These investment vehicles can act as an avenue of exposure to alternative assets that may not be available inside a 529 plan.  Furthermore, these investment vehicles can potentially act as a hedge against risks in the 529 plan. 

Rolling over your 401k today can help move you towards a more comfortable retirement tomorrow.  Leaving your 401k unattended can not only jeopardize your retirement, but also ensures that you miss out on various market opportunities.  Besides that, rolling over your 401k gives you more control over your investments.

When investing for retirement, investment fees should not total a significant portion of your retirement portfolio.  Fees assessed on qualified retirement plans add up, especially for plans for smaller employers.  The 401k and the Individual Retirement Account (IRA) have become the retirement savings vehicles of choice, but these accounts all charge fees or other expenses that eat into returns.

A CPA must often be cognizant of gathering investment information as part of their fiduciary duty, if it applies to their client.  As accountants become more involved with their client’s investments, they must be aware of what information is needed.  More importantly, they must understand how this information impacts their client’s tax situation and their overall financial profile.

#1 Thematic Systematic Investing Top 1% – YTD percentile ranking out of 428 World Stock managers as of 9/30/16
#1 – YTD absolute ranking out of 428 World Stock managers as of 9/30/16

#2 Global Thematic Accumulation Top 1% – YTD percentile ranking out of 428 World Stock managers as of 9/30/16
#2 –YTD absolute ranking out of 428 World Stock managers as of 9/30/16 

Part of a successful investment methodology is generating positive investment results in multiple market conditions. In today’s investment world, investors need to look beyond the traditional bull market and bear market. Investors also need to consider what we at 4Thought Financial Group define as the “Wolf” and the “Eagle” portions of market cycles.

Gaining exposure to low-correlation diversifying investment methods by the conventional route – direct subscription to Hedge Funds and Private Equity Limited Partnerships – is fraught with difficulties. Such investments require accredited investor status; lack of transparency with respect to strategies, underlying investments, and performance reporting; high fees (usually an asset based fee and a percentage of gains); low liquidity, lock-up periods, infrequent redemptions, and surrender charges; and ongoing capital commitments (with private equity) that may be difficult for clients to meet. But there are alternative routes to getting exposures to the strategies and risk premiums employed by Hedge Funds and Private Equity.

We consider ourselves advocates for the idea of systematic savings and investment, and we have developed focused proprietary strategies to potentially maximize the benefits of this process for our investors.

Professionals often make the mistake of not working and planning alongside the heirs of their clients. Not exploring the wishes of both clients and their children not only causes miscommunication in the development of a plan that efficiently transfers assets but also may displace the professional relationship in the future.