Choosing to Retire Happy
Times have changed. The pensions we once knew don’t exist as they once did. Even for pensions that do still exist if you took on a role with a company years ago; many of them have been changed, and only a lucky few get grandfathered in to old pension systems. 401k plans are the new […]
Can You Sell Your Life Insurance Policy – For Cash?
I’ll tell you right out of the gate – this might be the creepiest financial topic I’ve ever researched. But, just like any financial option that you have available to you, I feel like it’s my job to shed some light on the subject. Life Settlements, formally known as Viatical Settlements, elicit a great deal […]
Real Life Monopoly
Remember playing Monopoly? I loved the game (at least for the first hour or so of play)! Everyone had a different strategy, but the flow of the game was pretty similar every time we played. Early on in the game, people were buying properties left and right at market price. As properties became scarce, each player […]
Apple & Beats: If you can’t beat ’em, buy ’em
I have been fascinated these past few weeks wondering why Apple is reportedly buying Beats, a “low tech” company that’s only been around for three years — for 3.2 Billion! (The deal isn’t “official” just yet) Everyone seems to hate the Apple &Beats deal: CNN Money – “Apple & Beats is just a bad deal” […]
A New Car, That’s More Than Free
Seriously, that’s not a typo. Here’s why the Nissan Leaf is essentially “free” in Georgia, and this isn’t even accounting for what you’ll save on gas (I’ll explain that part in a minute, but it just makes the Leaf an even better deal). Here’s the math: A Nissan Leaf in its basic form (and with […]
What To Do When Volatility Strikes
At one of our recent Investment Committee meetings, we decided to go around the table and talk about headlines (either that have happened or could occur) that scare us. We felt the need to do this because sometimes things get too rosy and we need to be sure we are aware of possible threats. Over […]
Are Atlantans Drowning in Debt?
This week, Experian (one of the three big companies that monitors your credit), released a report showing the average debt for America’s 20 biggest cities (the combination of credit card debt, auto loans, student loans, and personal loans). Interestingly enough, Detroit ended up with the lowest average at $23,604 while Dallas came in with the […]
Optimistic But Some Worries
I’ve always tended to be an optimistic person, especially when it comes to investing. People can say it’s because that’s the industry I work in and the ability for me to continue paying my mortgage relies on me being optimistic (markets going higher). I think it just comes from an understanding of the markets. Going back to […]
The Atlanta Braves Experience – VIP versus Budget-Conscious
It’s that time of the year again in Braves Country where you can’t stand around a water-cooler without hearing someone say that they’re attending a game that week. Did you know, though, that you can enjoy this all-American game, and stay within your budget! Turner Field offers the unique ability for everyone to choose the […]
The ABCs of High Frequency Trading
High frequency trading, otherwise known as HFT, has become a huge buzzword since Michael Lewis’ 60 Minutes interview on March 30. In the interview, Lewis explains that High Frequency Traders are a new contingency of lighting fast stock traders. Using massively intelligent computer system, they are able to identify large stock trades that are milliseconds […]
