Author: Peter Lazaroff

Is Now the Time to Buy Individual Stocks?

As people across the globe are being told to stay put in their homes, it’s not surprising to see some companies suffering more than others. Our normal routines are turned upside down, and so are our normal consumer spending habits. Read more…

Choose to Be an Optimist

We are facing risks unlike any we’ve dealt with in our lifetimes. Being told you’re in danger triggers all your evolutionary defense mechanisms intended to keep you safe. Unfortunately, none of these instinctive reactions are useful in the arena of long-term investing. Read more…

Will the Coronavirus Impact Your Portfolio?

Global stock markets have fallen significantly in response to the spread of the coronavirus. While market losses of this magnitude are not uncommon, the speed at which the losses have occurred are a bit more unusual. Read more…

5 Costly Roth Conversion Mistakes to Avoid

A partial Roth conversion is one of my favorite tools to help clients manage their retirement income taxes, so I get frustrated when I see that tool used in the wrong way. Read more…

A Common Mistake Many Investors Make: Mental Rigidity

New ideas are always difficult to accept at first. This is never more true than when those new concepts conflict with our existing beliefs. Read more…

It's Not Free: Why You Need to Take a Closer Look at Commission-Free Trading

On October 7th, Charles Schwab started offering commission-free trading. TD Ameritrade nearly fell over themselves to follow suit and match their competitor, but neither brokerage was the first to make this offer to their customers. Vanguard, J.P. Morgan, and Interactive Brokers all beat them to Read more…

The Tax Benefits of a Partial Roth Conversion

It always hits our clients at some point after age 50. Retirement is no longer a mirage off in the distance—it’s a real event that’s coming into sharper focus. With that clarity comes new questions about turning retirement savings into retirement income. Read more…

How an HSA Can Boost Your Retirement Savings

When it comes to picking a health insurance plan, the options can seem confusing. For years, I avoided my company’s high-deductible health insurance plan with a health savings account (HSA) because it felt scarier than simply paying the monthly premiums and predictable co-pays of a PPO plan. Read more…

Asset Allocation

Asset allocation is the most important decision a long-term investor makes, and it’s one of the few things in the world of investing that is fully within your control. A famous paper published 1986 determined that asset allocation explains 93.6% of variation in portfolio returns. It’s worth noting Read more…

The Power of Compounding

Time mixed with the power of compounding is the most potent combination for wealth creation. Read more…