March 2018 - NorthStar Capital Advisors

Your Investing Philosophy in Ten Words or Less

Brevity is power. If you truly understand something well, you can explain it in simple terms. Ten individuals share their investing philosophies in 10 words or less:

Barry Ritholtz, Bloomberg: “Keep it simple, do less, and manage your stupidity.”
Ben Carlson, author of A Wealth of Common Sense: “Less is more. Process over outcomes. Behavior is the key.”
Harold Pollack, University of Chicago: “Save 15-20%. Low-fee Indexes. Pay off plastic. Maximize 401(k).”
Robert Brokamp, Motley Fool: “Diversification reduces risk, increases predictability, and boosts returns.”
Michael Batnick, Ritholtz Wealth Management: “Avoiding catastrophic mistakes matters more than constructing the ‘perfect portfolio.'”
Cullen Roche, Pragmatic Capitalism: “Low-fee, tax-efficient, index-based global-macro asset allocation.”
Eddy Elfenbein, blogger, Crossing Wall Street: “Be patient and ignore fads. Focus on value. Never panic.”
Seth Jayson, Motley Fool: “Be safe, keep your costs low, and don’t overthink.”
Josh Brown, CNBC, The Reformed Broker: “Roses are red, violets are blue. I don’t know what will happen and neither do you.”
Morgan Housel: “Worry only when you think you have it figured out.”

Source: MF

3 Characteristics of Good Financial Advice

Searching for a good advisor? Here’s an insightful opinion on the 3 characteristics good financial advice should demonstrate:

It should be given by someone you like who is qualified to be giving advice. This may seem so elementary, but it’s absolutely worth noting. Financial success is not typically something that happens in short periods of time. Most times it requires long stretches of behavioral adjustment. Therefore, the giver of advice is likely someone you will want to develop a relationship with. Relationships without chemistry are not usually very successful for any useful period of time. They should also be qualified to be giving the advice.

It should only be given after arriving at a conclusion based on an exploration into your needs. Taking off the cuff financial advice should be avoided at most costs. If it is simply a fact or specific rule that applies to anyone – like IRA contribution limits at a certain age / income level, that’s fair. But if it has to do with how you should be allocating assets, how much you should be saving, what types of accounts you should have – these are all things that require developing a far deeper understanding than a brief conversation can offer.
It should be simple for both the receiver and giver to understand. If the person giving the advice has your better interest in mind, they will have a deep grasp whatever it is they are recommending you do or invest in. If they truly do, it will be conveyed with ease. It may require some detective work on your part, but it shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out if you are listening to someone who doesn’t deeply understand the stuff they are talking about.

Source: TCP

Planting a Tree

Warren Buffett once said, “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” It’s planting season and your deadline to act is coming up very soon!

If you have an individual retirement account (IRA) or are considering opening an IRA, 2017 contributions to IRAs can still be made up through April 17, 2018.

[Tax day falls on April 17, 2018. Usually, April 15 is the day taxes and IRA contributions are due. But in 2018, that falls on a Sunday. On Monday, the District of Columbia celebrates Emancipation Day. That affects taxes the same way federal holidays do. Therefore, the tax deadline is pushed out to the following Tuesday, April 17.]

Make it a double? If you really want to make the most of the growth potential that retirement accounts offer, you should consider making a double contribution this year: a last-minute one for the 2017 tax year and an additional one for 2018, which you’ll claim on the tax return you file next year. That strategy can add much more to your retirement nest egg than you’d think.

2017/2018 Annual IRA Contribution Limits*

Traditional/IRA Rollover: $5,500 ($6,500 if you are 50 years old or older)
Roth IRA: $5,500 ($6,500 if you are 50 years old or older)
SIMPLE IRA: $12,500 ($15,500 if you are 50 years old or older)
SEP IRA: $54,000 (2017); $55,000 (2018)

*Note: The maximum contribution limit is affected by your taxable compensation for the year.

The savings, tax deferral, and earnings opportunities of an IRA make good financial sense. The sooner you make your contributions, the more your money can grow, and the more “shade” you’ll have to enjoy in the future.

If you have any questions about how to make the most of your IRA savings opportunity, please give us a call at 704-350-5028.

Location, location, location!

As we head into the spring real estate season, many of our clients are busily buying and selling properties. As the old adage goes, location, location, location. The fascinating visualization above underscores the importance of geography in median housing prices and land valuations.

Blue dots represent the value of an acre of land, and the red circles indicate the median value of a home. The bigger the blue dot and the larger the red circle, the more expensive it is to become a property owner. Small circles and dots likewise indicate a very low cost of purchasing property.

A couple of things stand out:

An acre of land is much more valuable in the Northeast compared to any other part of the country
Median home prices generally high in the Northeast as well
There’s a noticeable decline of both land and housing prices in southern and midwestern states

Source: howmuch

How to be a 401(k) Millionaire

Fidelity Investments, one of the largest retirement account administrators in the U.S., published a study that analyzed the characteristics of their 401(k) account holders who have amassed more than $1 million but make less than $150,000.

Here are 5 key lessons:

#1 — Start saving early
Beyond the obvious fact that the longer you save, the more you’ll potentially accumulate, contributing steadily over 30 to 40 years is especially beneficial in a tax-advantaged workplace retirement savings plan.

#2 — Contribute a minimum of 10% to 15%
Contributing 10% to 15% might sound like a lot, but that amount is meant to include contributions from your employer—such as your company match or profit sharing.

#3 — Meet your employer match
You’ve probably heard it many times, but it bears repeating that failing to contribute up to the full amount of a company match is like turning down “free” money.

#4 — Consider mutual funds that invest in stocks
Historical data suggests that a diversified portfolio of stocks can deliver higher returns than bonds or other fixed income investments over time.

#5 — Don’t cash out when changing jobs
Taking a distribution from your 401(k) account when you change jobs is hardly ever a good idea. It could trigger significant tax liability and early withdrawal penalties. When you take money out of your 401(k), you lose the opportunity for it to grow.

Source: Fidelity

Your Investing Philosophy in Ten Words or Less

3 Characteristics of Good Financial Advice

Planting a Tree

Location, location, location!

How to be a 401(k) Millionaire

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