Are My Social Security Benefits Taxable?

by Fiona Leung on May 5, 2020

The quick answer is “it depends.”  But, for the 33 percent of retirees who now rely more heavily on their Social Security benefits to sustain their lifestyle, the answer takes on even more significance.  Generally, your income from Social Security is not taxable on its own; but when it’s combined with other sources of income for tax reporting purposes, a porti

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Are Investors Their Own Worst Enemy?

by Fiona Leung on Apr 28, 2020

When it comes to investing, people can be their own worst enemy. Nearly all of the mistakes made by investors can be attributed to their behavior which is typically dictated by their emotions. Fear and greed have a way of driving even the most rational people to making investing decision which is why most investors typically under perform the markets.

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Elections and the Stock Market: Much to Do About Nothing

by Fiona Leung on Apr 25, 2020

It’s a presidential election year and with that comes the invariable stock market correlations seeking to predict election results or forecast the market’s direction.  On one hand, the performance of the stock market during the two months leading up to the election has been somewhat of a predictor of who will win the race.

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5 Year-End Tax Planning Opportunities for the Savvy Investor

by Fiona Leung on Apr 14, 2020

Following a solid tax planning strategy throughout the year is an integral part of any financial plan, but there are special considerations to make as the year comes to a close that can help maximize your refund or minimize your liability.

Are you taking advantage of the following tax-saving strategies with your return?

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Investing in the Wake of COVID-19

by Fiona Leung on Apr 11, 2020

Intro

By now, there’s a good chance that the recent market downturn resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has left you questioning your investment strategy. In fact, there’s a good chance that you lost a good chunk of change during the rapid sell-offs in early-mid March. But now that the sudden onset of this downturn has passed, it’s time to thoughtfully reevaluate your investing plans in the wake of COVID-19.

Don’t Panic

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Understanding the Money Value of Time

by Fiona Leung on Apr 4, 2020

In the realm of financial planning, time is our most valuable asset.  It’s available to all of us, providing each individual with the same opportunity to optimize its value in building wealth. It’s the only resource we all have over which we have some degree of control.

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Does Investing Inertia Have You Trapped?

by Fiona Leung on Mar 31, 2020

Investors are prone to many behavioral mistakes that can cost them dearly. Trying to time the market, trying to pick the winners, chasing returns, trying to go it alone are among the most common. But the one that can inflict the most damage over a period of time is when they succumb to investing inertia. What is investing inertia?

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Why You Need an Investment Philosophy

by Fiona Leung on Mar 28, 2020

There are many who would suggest that, in a digitally-wired world in which information travels at light speed to all corners, the investment playing field has been leveled between individual investors and the institutions. In reality, however, the incessant noise and information overload can do more to fuel the irrational behavior of investors than it can to provide any sort of advantage.

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