We are elated to announce that Samantha has passed her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ exam! We would like to congratulate her on this huge accomplishment as well as acknowledge all of the hard work she has put into studying for this exam and just know that she is going to do well. Once she receives her official certification we will have 4 CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS™ in the office to help with your financial planning needs.
The shocking news that Wells Fargo employees opened 1.5 million unauthorized accounts and 565,000 credit cards has caused concern for Wells Fargo customers everywhere. Wells Fargo has said that they will be contacting customers who they feel may have had accounts wrongfully opened and invite their customers to come into a branch to do a review with a banker. We feel however that it is good to be proactive and instead of waiting for a call, do a little research on your own to protect yourself. Here are some steps you should take if you are worried that you may be a victim of fraudulent activity.
Check your accounts- Look at your Wells Fargo online account, call Wells Fargo or go into a branch to review any accounts in your name. Make sure that you authorized any accounts that were opened in your name. Also, look through each account for any unusual fees or unauthorized money transfers. Wells Fargo has been accused of charging illegal fees on student loans as well as making unauthorized money transfers between accounts that may have caused insufficient funds charges.
Check your credit report- If you haven’t checked your credit report recently you should check it now. You can get a free credit report every year at https://www.annualcreditreport.com/ Look for any unauthorized accounts opened in your name or any unauthorized credit inquiries made by Wells Fargo. If a credit card was opened without your knowledge and there were fees that you were unaware of and were unpaid those may also have been reported to the credit agencies. If you find any discrepancies contact Wells Fargo immediately as well as the credit reporting agencies (Experian, Transunion, Equifax) to dispute the fraudulent activity and have it removed from your report.
If you are unable to have the issue resolved through the bank or credit agencies you can also submit a claim with the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau by calling 855-411-2372 or online @ http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/ .
API held an Open House in our office on June 29th and were delighted to host 75 clients. We introduced our new full time office administrator, Melani, to our clients that had not yet met her. As we continue to grow in assets and clients, we needed someone dedicated to the running of the office and client contact. These duties have been removed from Samantha as she only deals with client accounts, trading and financial planning now. API continues to expand and now has clients in 10 states and manages over 220 million dollars. We thank you for your continued loyalty and referrals that allow us to grow.
Everybody knows how important maintaining a good credit score is. Having a good credit score will get you better interest rates on home mortgages, car loans and credit cards. Landlords and even employers are looking at this number when making decisions to rent/lease to you or hire you. With credit being such an important factor in life it’s crucial that you know what your credit score is and checking your own credit score does not impact your credit. Luckily for you there are many new and free credit monitoring services out there to help you do just that. So if your credit needs a little help, don’t despair, check out these free tools to help guide you on the path to great credit!
Creditscorecard.com
Creditsesame.com
Creditkarma.com
If you choose to sign up for one of these websites they will ask you for personal information to identify yourself to verify that it is in fact you signing up. These websites are all free monitoring services and they will not ask you for any credit card information. They will however send you marketing materials with offers based on your personal information. It seems like a small price to pay in order to be able to monitor and take control of your own credit. Good luck on your journey to overall better credit health!
The April 18th deadline to file your tax return is right around the corner. In your rush to meet the deadline we would like to remind you that it’s not too late to contribute to your IRA to receive the tax benefit. The current funding limit is $5,500 for those under 50 and $6,500 for people 50 and over. Even if you participate in a plan at work you may still contribute, you will not receive the tax deduction but the earnings will grow tax free until you are required to take a distribution – over age 70 1/2. . If you have been thinking about opening an IRA to supplement your retirement there is no better time than the present to get one started. Please contact your advisor to determine which type of IRA would best suit your financial needs.
As long as the former ex-spouse is eligible to receive benefits, you can collect a spousal benefit if you meet the following conditions:
-You have not remarried
-Your marriage lasted at least 10 years
-You are 62 or older
If your ex-spouse has not yet applied for his benefit, you have to hold off until you have been divorced for two years. As long as you are full retirement age, your spousal benefit will be equal to one-half of your ex-spouse’s full retirement benefit. The benefit will be less than one-half if you’re younger than full retirement age when you start collecting. Your spousal benefit will not include any delayed retirement credits that your ex-spouse may receive. If you remarry, you generally cannot collect spousal benefits on your former spouse’s record unless your later marriage ends in death or divorce.
Sandy was asked to be the advisor on this month's LA Times money makeover.
Click here to check it out.
Our government shut down October 1 with both sides vowing to not bend and give in. The last time we had an impasse was in 2008, during the passage of TARP, and the market reacted by falling 777 points. That was enough to get both sides negotiating a bit quicker. We also have the debt ceiling to deal with later this month. Failure to act would be very negative for the financial markets and the world economy. This is really the ordeal to watch- the debt-ceiling extension and our debt ceiling now stands at 16.7 trillion. If we reach an impasse, our debt will default. While the market has reacted in the past, I also believe it is becoming somewhat immune to the actions of our government.
How does this shutdown impact government services and benefits? People will still receive their mail from the U.S Postal Service, Social Security benefits and changes in address, food stamps, school meals, veteran compensation and burial benefits. National parks, museums, federal home loans, VA home loans, IRS suspension of all audit activities and passport operations are all affected by the shutdown and will be suspended until further appropriation of congressional funds. Unfortunately for our economy, it is projected that the shutdown will impact our economic growth by as much as 1.3 % in the 4rth quarter if it continues two weeks.
I hope you enjoy this article regarding the state of bonds by James A Klotz, President of FMS Bonds, Inc.:
Have you heard the clucking?
It’s the sound of Chicken Little returning to the municipal bond market.
In 2008, he paid a visit during the mortgage crisis. At the time, bond insurers were downgraded when they strayed from their traditional market and ventured into exotic – and toxic – financial products, while major banks, brokerages and hedge funds, which traditionally provided support to the muni market, became net sellers to enhance their own liquidity during the tumult.
Munis themselves were fine, but the chickens clucked, bond prices slumped and too many average investors panicked and sold. Veteran bond investors, meantime, did what they always do: take advantage of the disruptions and feast on fatter yields.
Two years later, Chicken Little reappeared, this time in the guise of a banking analyst whose comments on state and local finances during a TV interview spooked investors and spurred a muni selloff. Nevermind that her warnings of Armageddon were wildly off the mark; many took heed and, as a result, blew a hole in their portfolios.
He’s back
Today, Chicken Little has returned, with the same, equity-oriented pundits warning of a calamitous interest-rate spike and urging investors to shed their bonds.
Which bonds are they referring to? We’re not sure, and due to their lack of expertise in bonds, they’re probably not either. We only hear about Treasury bonds, but we don’t know of a single individual investor who owns any.
And that’s the rub.
Successful tax-free bond investors don’t buy and sell based on prognostications. Their goal is to generate a steady and dependable stream of tax-free income. Because investors know they have a promise to be paid at a specific time – a maturity date – unrealized losses or gains are irrelevant. They know that over the life of their long-term bonds, they will sometimes be worth more than they paid for them and sometimes less. Neither scenario should initiate a sale.
In fact, a substantial number of municipal bond buyers welcome higher interest rates to boost their tax-free income, which is the reason they buy tax-free bonds in the first place.
A buying opportunity
Chicken Little’s most recent cry to indiscriminately sell an entire asset class is reckless and can once again be catastrophic for investors.
Unique opportunities abound as muni bond fund shareholders panic and rush to the exits. This forces fund managers to reluctantly toss good bonds overboard to meet redemptions.
With high-quality municipals now yielding 4.25% or more (a tax-equivalent yield of 6.54% for investors in the 35% federal tax bracket), successful long-term investors hear the shrieks for what they really are: a signal to buy.
For more information follow the link: http://www.fmsbonds.com/News/bond_article.asp?id=444
It is never to early to begin planning for next year's tax return. Planning ahead can save you time and money in 2014. Here are six simple steps to take to make your next tax return easier.
1. Adjust your withholding
Now is a good time to review your withholdings to make the taxes withheld from your pay closer to the taxes you will owe for this year. You can use the IRS Withholding Calculator at IRS.gov to complete a new Form W-4.
2.Store your return in a safe place.
Doing so can facilitate locating it in case you need to refer to your return. For example, you may need a copy of your return when applying for a home loan or financial aid.
3. Organize your records
These record include your receipts from big purchases, mileage logs, and other deductable expense.
4. Hire a tax professional
If you already have a tax professional consult with them now to tart your tax planning for next year.
5.Consider itemizing deductions
If your itemized deductions typically fall just below your standard deduction you can bundle your deductions. If you usually claim a standard deduction, you may be able to reduce your taxes.
6.Keep up with changes
its always good to keep up with changes in the law especially taxes. For helpful tips, and IRS announcements, visit the IRS website, www.IRS.gov
