Posts Tagged ‘ Working with an Advisor ’

Wal-Mart 401(k) pays retail – does your 401(k) also?

Dec 31st, 2009 | By Charles L. Stanley CFP® ChFC AIF® | Category: News

“Merrill Lynch, with Wal-Mart’s blessing, was choosing mutual funds based on payments that the funds would make to Merrill Lynch,” says Braden attorney Derek Loeser of Keller Rohrback in Seattle, Wash. “This explains the anomaly of a $10 billion plan ending up with off-the-shelf retail funds that just so happen to share revenue.”
Forbes magazine reports [...]



Active vs Passive: Real World Issues

Nov 24th, 2009 | By Charles L. Stanley CFP® ChFC AIF® | Category: Featured Articles

In his previous column, Brad addressed questions related to the theoretical aspects of market efficiency and active manager performance. In this second of his three-column series on active vs. passive investing, he explores the challenges of implementing these strategies in the real world.
The previous column in this series focused on some theoretical aspects of market [...]



Transfer of Partial IRA Account Balance Subjects Periodic Payments to 10% Penalty

Sep 2nd, 2009 | By Charles L. Stanley CFP® ChFC AIF® | Category: 3rd Quarter (Age 40-60)

IRA accounts are designed for retirement. If a person decides they want to access their account prior to age 59 1/2, they will incur a Federal Income Tax penalty for early withdrawal of 10% of the amount withdrawn. In addition, the amount withdrawn is deemed ordinary income and taxed as such. If that weren’t bad [...]



“Trust Me!” Sales talk, advice and financial planning

Aug 26th, 2009 | By Charles L. Stanley CFP® ChFC AIF® | Category: 3rd Quarter (Age 40-60)

by Tamar Frankel
Historically securities brokers have been viewed as salespeople with special legal responsibilities:  Treat customers fairly, follow special rules regarding the customers’ money and securities, and recommend to customers only suitable investments.  Brokers offered liquidity by creating markets in certain securities, actions also subject to special rules designed to ensure customers were treated [...]