Traditional investment asset allocation exposure has been built upon the securities country of domicile. So, if you were looking to gain exposure to China, you would buy securities of companies domiciled in China. However, a more interesting approach is beginning to go more mainstream, where asset allocation is now built not upon domicile, but upon how much revenue a specific company generates from a certain region or country. This means…
Have you ever thought about making a charitable donation but want to give to several different charities? Navigating the paper work for each individual charity and its restrictions on what can be donated can prove to be no small task. What if you could donate to a single fund and then have it gifted out to all of the charities you choose in a streamlined fashion at the time and…
Ever met anyone over the age of 100? Do you plan to live past 100? Most of my life I would have answered no to both of these questions, but more and more as I meet or hear of people living to a ripe old age, I figure what the heck- I guess I will shoot for 101. So, what next? I better plan for my money to last. This…
It is my pleasure to announce that Luke Collova has joined Bear Mountain Capital. Originally from Saint Paul, Minnesota, Luke moved to the Northwest in 1998. He is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound with a degree in Business Administration. He comes to Bear Mountain Capital after spending 7 years in the commercial insurance industry. In addition to managing insurance agency partner relationships across the Northwest, Luke was…
What follows is an update from Laura Hoexter and Xan Gerson of Helsell Fetterman regarding the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, signed into law on January 2nd, 2013. Helsell Fetterman is a local law firm located in Seattle, WA, whose Estate Planning and Probate group is headed by Laura. Her group maintains expertise in many areas, including estate planning, trust administration, generation skipping transfers, and family business succession planning….
It is around this time of year, starting in October, I sit with my clients to review their long-term financial plans. Planning is tedious, often frustrating, but one of the most important elements to a person’s long-term financial security. Financial security is different for everyone, some want to only plan for retirement, some want to have funds set aside for emergency or a rainy day fund. Others would like to…
Nearly, every parent or child has uttered or heard the words “Don’t make me say it again…” at some point in their life. That is exactly the thought that comes to mind when I think about the dominating headline of the day: Fiscal Cliff. There I said it, but don’t make me say it again. It is exhausting to discuss the legislative gridlock we’ve experienced going on 3 years now….
A client of mine introduced me to a company run by one of his colleagues. Love the concept. If you need quality, low-cost dental work done and like to travel, you can use this site to find a dental practice with good reviews, and locations for some of the most desirable tourist destinations worldwide. Think TripAdvisor for medical needs. When costs here in the US continue to increase, its a…
Did you know that most active equity mutual fund managers under perform their peer benchmarks over time? As the time period stretches past 10, 15 or 20 years, the amount of under performance can be staggering. Under-Performance in US Equities According to data compiled by The Vanguard Group (Phillips, Christopher. “The case for indexing.” Valley Forge, PA: The Vanguard Group, 2012.) the percentage of actively managed US equity funds that…
Facebook’s IPO reminds everyone of what is possible when it comes to having an idea, taking it to market and being rewarded for the risk of seeing it through. While the IPO hoopla that dominated today’s headlines was welcome relief from the news regarding Greece and Europe, it does little to help long-term investors during these volatile times. To be sure, since the end of the “credit crisis”, volatility in…
