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In Context Newsletter – Summer 2012

Date02 Jul 2012

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The financial and economic environment of the past few years has been challenging. To name just a few headline-grabbing items, investors have had to stare down a ratings downgrade of U.S. Treasury bonds by Standard & Poor’s, the European debt crisis (see sidebar on this page), high unemployment report after high unemployment report and very low rates of interest on bond investments. With all of these stories, which are incessantly focused on negative developments, it can be easy for investors to miss the good news. With the turbulent financial markets of 2008 and early 2009 now several years past, we can begin to put these developments in context.

Lessons From the Eurozone Debt Crisis

Date04 Jun 2012

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The Eurozone debt crisis is now in its third year, and we want to share our perspective on recent developments. It now appears more likely than ever that Greece may exit the Euro currency, and you may be wondering how such a development would affect the markets and our approach to investing. If Greece were...

In Context Newsletter — Spring 2012

Date05 May 2012

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Last year was challenging for globally diversified stock portfolios. While the S&P 500 Index was up 2.1 percent in 2011, the MSCI EAFE Index, which is basically the international equivalent of the S&P 500, was down 12.1 percent. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index was down 18.4 percent.

Understanding Medicare Options and Late Enrollment Penalties

Date17 Oct 2011

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Overview: Enrolling in Medicare can be overwhelming. The following looks at enrollment periods for different coverage options. Medicare health insurance is a dense topic. Each of the various options have specific coverage and enrollment periods. To select the best coverage for you, it helps to have a better understanding of the program. This knowledge can...

Risk and Expected Return Are Related

Date15 Feb 2011

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A mistake that is often made is to say that risk and reward are related when it comes to investing. But if risk and return were always related, there’d be no risk. It’s risk and expected return that are actually related. The price investors have to pay is the chance that the risk will actually...

A Response to the “60 Minutes” Segment on Municipal Finances

Date22 Dec 2010

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The following addresses the “60 Minutes” segment from Sunday, December 19 on the state of municipal finances. The “60 Minutes” segment did not expose any new problems in the municipal market. Rather, it highlighted some growing concerns surrounding state fiscal problems and their potential effect on local governments. In fact, Meredith Whitney, who appeared in...

Why “Name Your Price” Insurance Can Cost You Dearly

Date15 Dec 2010

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Many people zero in on price when buying insurance. However, that strategy is only safe if you never file a claim. Tom Hopkins of The Delp Company discusses why it’s important to consider more than just the price tag of insurance. A national insurance company has implemented an interesting marketing strategy: Tell us the premium...

The End of Social Security’s Interest-Free Loan

Date09 Dec 2010

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The end of Social Security’s payback option means there is less room for error when devising a strategy to maximize your Social Security benefits. The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) announced December 8 that, effective immediately, the ability to “pay back” Social Security benefits will be allowed only during the first 12 months following the...

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