There has been a lot written about Social Security lately, but I was stunned recently by a presentation at the UCSD Economics Roundtable. According to Professor John Shoven of Stanford University (who studies Social Security, aging and retirement), the VASTREAD MORE
Author: Rick Brooks
Rick Brooks, CFA®, CFP® is a partner of Blankinship & Foster LLC and is the firm’s Chief Investment Officer. He is a lead advisor, counseling clients on all aspects of personal financial management. Rick serves on several boards. He is the Chairman of the Board of Girl Scouts San Diego, and also chairs the San Diego Foundation’s Professional Advisor Council. Rick and his family live in Mission Hills. Rick enjoys spending time with his family, theater, cooking, skiing, gaming and reading.
Recently I wrote about having a charitable giving plan, and how that can allow people to be strategic about their charitable gifts. As tax rates have been on the rise lately, many people have been looking for ways to reduceREAD MORE
Life insurance is often used for alternative purposes, such as borrowing against it, but there’s a catch. When the cash value bleeds down to nothing, the policy generally needs to be cancelled, and that “tax-free” loan you took becomes a taxable distribution of any earnings on the policy. You’re also out the insurance policy you had planned on.
“I think most clients don’t really think to coordinate with the charity as to how they should be gifting. Most clients will just write a check or drop $50 in the collection jar.” —Rick Brooks, June 17 interview with InvestmentREAD MORE
Rising Interest Rates I’ve been reading a lot about interest rates lately, and when mortgage rates set record lows last year, it was hard not to think that the cost of borrowing money had to go up at some point.READ MORE