Kevin Mercadante
We can debate whether buy and hold is a more effective method than other investment strategies, but it has two major advantages that are beyond any doubt. One is that transaction fees are generally lower with buy and hold than with other more active investment approaches. The second, which is even more significant, is the … Read more
Having high credit limits can sometimes seem like a validation of our financial success. If these lenders allow you to borrow such a large amount, they must think well enough of you and you are therefore you must be successful. For younger adults, it can even be fun competing with your friends to see who … Read more
When you own rental property, you are essentially running a small business. This means that you can use your business expenses to reduce your business income, thus reduce your overall taxes. It is not uncommon for rental property investors to pay no income tax at all. Here are ten primary tax deductions for rental property … Read more
This is a recurring debate – should you buy life insurance on the cheap, through a term life policy, or should you opt for whole life insurance with its cash value/investment feature and coverage for life? The answer will depend on where you are in life (often how old you are), but the answer will … Read more
We can all see the benefits of having a large retirement portfolio. If it’s big enough, it can provide you with a standard of living comparable to — or even higher than — the one that you have when you’re working. But let’s face it, not everyone will have a retirement portfolio that will be … Read more
The tax year is over, so it’s too late to come up with ways to lower your tax bite. Or is it? Below are six strategies to reduce your taxable income, and all they will take is a closer look at expenses you had during the year, or even to create some now that will … Read more
The United States may be one country, but there are variations in the cost of living from one state to the next, and they can be substantial. Not everyone can afford to pick up and leave the state they’re living in to go to one where the cost of living is lower. But if you … Read more
Most of us like simplicity in life, and that even includes retirement planning. If you actively participate in the 401(k) plan with your employer, you may assume that you’ve got your retirement covered. But as the saying goes, never assume anything. Investing in an individual retirement account (IRA) is an opportunity to supplement your 401(k) … Read more
When we build an investment portfolio it should include a mix of higher risk securities as well as safer investments. This usually divides the portfolio neatly between stocks and bonds. And with mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETF’s) being so popular, that usually means stock funds and bond funds. But are bond funds really … Read more
Just like Football, high turnover is bad for you and good for the other team. Investing in mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETF’s) with high turnover ratios involves paying a substantial amount in transaction fees and other costs. This means these investments are at a performance disadvantage, and they could cost you money in other … Read more