I enjoy reading articles by Scott Burns (also here) because he sometimes offers a unique perspective on things. He recently released the 2015 Annual Letter for his asset management company AssetBuilder. The whole thing is a good read, but here are … [Read the rest]
Having already done my TurboTax 2014 review, here is my review of TaxACT 2014. (H&R Block is next week.) For all three, I will be comparing the far-more-popular online versions. Price TaxACT come only in two basic flavors: Free and Deluxe. … [Read the rest]
Although I'm still waiting on some 1099 forms (*cough* TD Ameritrade), I've already got most of my paperwork in order for my tax returns. I plan on comparing the three major tax preparation websites again this year: TurboTax, H&R Block, and … [Read the rest]
Dividend distributions from mutual funds and ETFs are either qualified or non-qualified, and the difference could have you paying double the taxes. Qualified dividends are taxed at the lower long-term capital gains rate, which varies from 0% to … [Read the rest]
The purpose of Vanguard's commitment to low-cost investing is not just to be cheap, it is to give their clients higher performance. Whenever a money manager charges higher fees for themselves, they will have to compensate by creating that much … [Read the rest]
Starting in early 2016, you will no longer need an American Express card to pay with a credit card at Costco. Not earth-shattering news (although I do buy a lot of stuff at Costco), but as a credit card geek I thought some of the details that came … [Read the rest]
The debate between active and passive investing has come full circle. We've officially gone from "index funds will never work!" to "index funds are working too well, it can't keep on going". Check out the Forbes article Is Vanguard Too … [Read the rest]
I'm getting ready to put down a decent chunk of money into a 529 college savings plan, which means lots of research as there are a lot of options and nuances. A general plan for those without strong investment preferences would be to go with one of … [Read the rest]
It is now 7 years in on the 10-year bet between Warren Buffett and a successful hedge fund manager. In 2007, Warren Buffett challenged any hedge fund to a long-term bet against the S&P 500. He found a taker. Fortune magazine announced … [Read the rest]
Verizon Wireless positions itself as a premium service. They have the biggest 4G LTE footprint, but they also seem to cost more across the board. For people that depend on reliable phone and data service for their work, the extra price is often … [Read the rest]
The following is a chart that I usually like to pull out during a crisis when people are scared of investing in the stock market, but since I just found a nicely updated version of it, I had to share. It is taken from Jeremy Siegel's book Stocks for … [Read the rest]
A few well-publicized academic studies have shown that financial incentives can be very effective in helping people lose weight. In order to combine the carrot and the stick, there are two websites now where you can bet on your weight loss. If … [Read the rest]
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