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As reported by USA Today, on Saturday, October 22nd, AT&T and Time Warner made a deal which outlined AT&T to purchase the communications company for $85.4 billion. Details in the cash and stock deal include that AT&T will pay $107.50 per share of Time Warner whose service includes HBO, CNN, TNT, TBS, Warner Bros, Bleacher Report, theme parks, and a 10% stake in their premier streaming service Hulu. Bugs Bunny is making a move—and will likely settle into his new home by the end of 2017.

It is awfully common to hear clients talk about what they read or heard about investing, particularly the old “rule of thumb” about keeping equity exposure equal to 100 percent minus your age. So, if you are 70 years old 30 percent of the portfolio would be in stocks and 70 percent in bonds. My response to this is always, it depends on the client, your needs, and how you wish your assets to work for you. A recent New York Times article challenges this “rule of thumb” and suggests that investo...

There is no doubt that the 2016 Presidential Election is getting a lot of press. With the first debate happening this week so many people are trying to watch the polls and figure out who will be our next leader. Of course the two candidates could not be any more different with their policies and ideas. Many folks have asked “how do I invest during this election”? The media talking heads have provided numerous ideas on how to invest if one candidate wins over another. Yet, the reality remains...

While the market has recovered nicely from a bumpy first quarter many people still have feelings of uncertainty. The uncertainty I hear the most about comes from the June BREXIT and the potential outcomes of the upcoming November election. While the BREXIT was simply an event that should not have a meaningful long term effect on financial strategies and the election outcome's impact on markets is like a crap shoot, naturally uncertainty can cause people to seek "stable" and "reliable" investment...

Many of you are probably familiar with a 401(k) - or employer sponsored retirement plan. Every year during benefits enrollment you decide what percentage of each paycheck will go into your retirement plan. But you may not be aware of a benefit option with your 401(k) plan that is quite often overlooked: the Roth 401(k). According to new research from Willis Towers Watson, referenced in this article, over half of employers offer both the traditional (pre-tax) and Roth (after-tax) 401(k) but on...

In a world where you can get trade execution for $7.99 or buy an index fund virtually for free, why should investors seek out the aid of a financial advisor and pay the additional fees that go along with that?Well, a certain firm set out to quantify the potential value added by working with a skilled advisor. They found what they believe to be a meaningful improvement to long-term investor performance when they utilize the services of a professional. It might sound like a self-serving study unti...

Unless you have been living under a rock, you've likely heard that Britain has voted to leave the European Union. The 'Leave' vote came as a surprise to the markets, as evidenced by the lack of a sell-off in the last few weeks, capped off with a strong rally into yesterday's close. Unsurprisingly, global financial markets, and especially European markets are experiencing extremely high levels of volatility today.These are the moments, people- the moments that define the difference between a succ...

After spending your whole life working hard, earning money, and being responsible, all of a sudden the wealth you've accumulated needs to produce income. But will it be enough? With no cost of living adjustments for social security, a low interest rate environment, and a 1% cost of living adjustment in 2015 for the NYS pension, these two benefits are tasked with the job of replacing your income. Yet, it may not be enough. A study done in 2012 by the Employee Benefit Research Institute*...

Picture this: You've just won the New York State Mega millions jackpot!!! You start daydreaming about all the wonderful things you'll buy and all the vacations you'll take. Money will no longer be a worry. It is not that simple to live on Easy Street. The truth of the matter is if you don't properly plan on how to receive your windfall and invest it wisely, you could instead find yourself on the road to financial disaster. So, what do you do if you win the lottery? If b...

"Have patience. Everything is difficult before it is easy." - SaadiThe rollercoaster has been a bit easier lately. The S&P and the Dow are up about 2% through the end of May, while volatility has declined. The reward for being patient when, in February, both indexes were down almost 15%, is now clear. Still, ~2% is hardly a reason to get excited about investing, continuing the altogether dreary markets since the beginning of 2015. Nobody likes to have to be patient for that long. But...