At Apprise Wealth Management, we want to help people make better money-related decisions. We also read constantly and like sharing some of our favorite commentaries each week.
We hope you will share our blog with your friends. If you are not a current subscriber, please sign up for our mailing list at the bottom of our blog page or use our Contact Us page. If you would like to discuss any of the ideas presented in these articles, please email philweiss@apprisewealth.com. You can also schedule a free 15-minute call.
On Saturday, January 4th, I will be giving a presentation on Behavioral Investing to the Baltimore Chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors. To learn more, check this link, or click here to register.
Here are this week’s articles as well as a brief description of each:
1. The End of the Year Is a Great Time to Think About Money. It’s almost 2020. This article shares seven money-saving and headache-preventing moves to consider before 2019 ends. The first three suggestions relate to your tax bill. While the year is almost over, you can still potentially lower this year’s bill by thinking ahead.
2. You’re Tracked Everywhere You Go Online. Use This Guide to Fight Back. When we go online, our actions are tracked everywhere we go. Our increasing reliance on numerous devices means we create more data than we used to. For example, did you know consumers, all have “secret scores?” These hidden ratings determine how long we wait on hold when calling a business, whether we can return items at a store, and what type of service we receive. If you want to avoid advertiser tracking, try the website simpleoptout.com. It provides links to the opt-out pages for some of the most popular online destinations.
3. Roth Conversion Makes Sense at Today’s Low Tax Rates. When speaking to clients, I often express my belief that today’s tax rates are the lowest we will see in our lifetimes. Keep in mind that today’s low rates revert to 2017 levels after 2025. If rates increase as expected, you should consider converting some of your IRA or 401(k) funds to a Roth IRA.
4. Eight Ways to Say No With Grace and Style. Two weeks ago, I shared an article discussing how saying “no” can increase your productivity. Learning to say “no” is important. We receive more requests for our time than we can fulfill. The suggested responses include the following:
· Say, “Yes, What should I deprioritize?”
· “Let me check my calendar and get back to you.”
· Use e-mail bouncebacks
In the words of Warren Buffett, “The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say ‘no’ to almost everything.”
5. How to Spend Money. Do you debate whether you can afford something even though you have sufficient funds? If so, the framework you use when thinking about spending could be the problem. This article shares a different way to think about your money that can help make you feel guilt-free about your spending. The first tip: Consider the 2x Rule. If you want to splurge on something, take an equivalent amount of money and invest it. The second: Maximize your long-term fulfillment rather than your happiness.
We hope you find the above posts valuable. If you would like to talk to us about financial topics including your investments, creating a financial plan, saving for college, or saving for retirement, please complete our contact form. We will be in touch. We can schedule a call, a virtual meeting via Zoom, or a meeting at Apprise Wealth Management’s office in Northern Baltimore County.
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Phil Weiss founded Apprise Wealth Management. He started his financial services career in 1987 working as a tax professional for Deloitte & Touche. For the past 25+ years, he has worked extensively in the areas of financial planning and investment management. Phil is both a CFA charterholder and a CPA.
Located just north of Baltimore, Apprise works with clients face-to-face locally and can also work virtually regardless of location.
