NorthStar Capital AdvisorsNorthStar Capital AdvisorsNorthStar Capital AdvisorsNorthStar Capital Advisors
Start Here
  • How We Help
  • Who We Serve
  • Who We Are
  • Fiduciary
  • Learning
  • Start Here
  • How We Help
  • Who We Serve
  • Who We Are
  • Fiduciary
  • Learning
  • Start Here

More Money Lessons from “Downton Abbey”

  • January 29, 2015/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Seeking Prudent Advice

downton-abbeyWe’re big fans of “Downton Abbey”, the television show that follows an aristocratic British family in the early decades of the 20th century.

Over the five seasons that the show has graced PBS’ “Masterpiece”, a number of money lessons have been showcased — mostly what NOT to do!

For example, don’t bet the family fortune on a railroad thousands of miles away (i.e., massive lack of diversification). A professional advisor working in concert with the Earl of Grantham probably would have prevented him from concentrating so much capital in a Canadian railway!

Downton’s money lessons include financial and estate-planning disasters, bad investments, messy trusts, and inadequate business succession plans.

Here are some key takeaways and tie-ins:

  • Spell out control and ownership when passing the baton of a family company
    (the generational transfer of Downton Abbey from Robert to Matthew)
  • Use trusts to protect the family fortune
    (to protect Robert Crawley’s from his own poor decisions)
  • Make a will before giving birth
    (think of Matthew Crawley’s untimely demise)
  • Set up a medical directive
    (the terrible struggle of how to handle Sybil in childbirth)

We can’t wait for more Dowton Abbey and money lessons as season 5 continues!

 


Best Illustration of Bull & Bear Markets

  • January 22, 2015/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Market Outlook, Performance

bull-bear-chartThis is the best illustration we’ve ever seen of history’s bull and bear markets.  Blue illustrates past bull markets’ durations and returns (total and annualized).  Red illustrates the bear markets.  This was published in May 2014 so the current bull market is actually pushing 69 months.

Some key takeaways:

  1. There’s a lot more blue than red meaning stocks tend to spend more time going up in value than going down.
  2. The current bull market might feel long but by historical standards, the length and strength of this bull is not exceptional

Source: BI


Investing Priorities

  • January 15, 2015/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Best Practices, Uncategorised

keep-calm-and-set-your-prioritiesThe general rule of thumb for investing priorities is:

  1. Invest in your company 401(k) plan up to the match
  2. Pay off short-term, non-tax-deductible debt (e.g., credit card, car loan)
  3. Establish an emergency fund; 6-12 months of living expenses is a good guidepost
  4. Put the maximum allowable amount in a Roth IRA (if eligible)
  5. Put the maximum allowable amount in your company 401(k)
  6. Invest the remainder in taxable accounts
  7. Pay down tax-deductible debt (e.g., home mortgage)

 

Source: Vanguard


Morgan Stanley Advisor Leaks Data for 350,000 Clients

  • January 8, 2015/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Scams & Schemes, Seeking Prudent Advice

Security concept: Lock on digital screenMorgan Stanley financial advisor Galen Marsh downloaded personal and sensitive account data for 350,000 clients of the firm.  Essentially none of these clients were his own. A few weeks ago in December 2014, these data started showing up on Pastebin, a website popular with data thieves and other illegal operators.  The anonymous data leaker offered to trade more data in exchange for a payoff in virtual currency.  Morgan Stanley detected the breach, subsequently fired the 30-year-old advisor and the FBI has opened an investigation.

One startling aspect of this data breach is the seemingly weak information security at Morgan Stanley.  One of the basic tenets of this space is “access control” — each employee’s access should be restricted to the data he or she needs to operate.  In this case, Mr. Marsh should have had access to only the handful of clients that he supported, not 350,000!

Marsh admitted to downloading data for 350,000 clients but denies posting it online.  Morgan Stanley is trying to understand how Marsh transferred the data offsite.

In response to this breach, Morgan Stanley reportedly tightened security to its client database, hired an outside call center to handle the surge of inbound calls from clients concerned about the breach, and is offering credit and identify theft services to impacted parties.

Source: WSJ


Recent Posts
  • Thoughts on the shifting housing market June 5,2025
  • The patience premium: What market history teaches us May 1,2025
  • What's next for markets and the economy? April 1,2025
  • Navigating Financial Uncertainty Amid Federal Layoffs March 3,2025
  • AI bubble burst? What's next February 1,2025
Archives
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • December 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
Categories
  • 401(k)
  • Annuities
  • Behavior
  • Best Practices
  • Bonds
  • Charitable Donations
  • Economy
  • Fees
  • Fiduciary
  • Financial Planning
  • Investing 101
  • Live Well
  • Market Outlook
  • Mutual Funds
  • NorthStar
  • Performance
  • Personal Finance
  • Planning
  • Retirement
  • Saving Money
  • Scams & Schemes
  • Seeking Prudent Advice
  • Tax Planning
  • Uncategorised
  • Uncategorized
  • Weekly Market Review
ABOUT US

We are a fee-only, independent fiduciary advisor. Our allegiance rests solely with our clients and their best interests. We are headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina and serve client families across the nation.



CLIENT TOOLS
CONTACT
  • (704) 350-5028
  • info@nstarcapital.com
  • 521 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
    (by appointment only)
  • fax: (704) 626-3462
FROM OUR BLOG
  • Thoughts on the shifting housing market June 5,2025
  • The patience premium: What market history teaches us May 1,2025
  • What's next for markets and the economy? April 1,2025
Nothing on this website constitutes either the provision of investment advice or solicitation to provide investment advice.
Investment advice can only be provided through a formal investment advisory relationship.