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Weekly Review ~ Friday, July 15, 2011

  • July 15, 2011/
  • Posted By : admin/
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  • Under : Weekly Market Review

The market fell over a percent on Monday on renewed concern over European debt and the lingering effects of last Friday’s poor jobs report. On Tuesday stocks lost ground again following Moody’s Investor Services downgrade of Ireland’s credit rating to “junk”. The major indexes rebounded on Wednesday on remarks by Fed Chair Bernanke stated that the Fed would be ready to respond with further quantitative easing if the economy fails to respond in the near future. On Thursday, stocks sunk once again after Bernanke said that the Fed is not considering any further bond-buying programs. The market rebounded on Friday after Google announced a huge jump in quarterly profit, as investors used the good news to overlook the Standard’s and Poor warning that US debt might be downgraded. The Dow finished the week negative for the eighth time in the last eleven weeks.

All the major indexes lost significant ground this week.

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“Pay to Play” in Your 401(k)

  • July 14, 2011/
  • Posted By : admin/
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  • Under : 401(k), Fees, Retirement, Seeking Prudent Advice

Think the roster of mutual funds in your 401(k) was selected because they represent the best options?  Think again! Very often the decision is biased by payments between fund companies and the firms that package the 401(k) plan:

  • Mutual funds often make payments to companies for the privilege of appearing in their 401(k)
  • These “pay-to-play” arrangements can discourage plan providers from selecting the best funds for you or offering low-cost index funds since most of these do not match the payments from active funds
  • These payments obscure the true fees and costs of 401(k) plans
  • For example, the Pimco Total Return fund pays an estimated $145 million a year to get into 401(k) plans
  • Growth Fund of America pays $75 million a year
  • Dodge & Cox Stock pays $20 million a year

Exercise caution when deciding which funds to use in your 401(k).  Have questions or concerns?  Send your questions to info@nstarcapital.com and we’ll do our very best to help.


Weekly Review ~ Friday, July 8, 2011

  • July 8, 2011/
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  • Under : Weekly Market Review

The markets opened the holiday-shortened week on Tuesday with a slight loss for the Dow and S&P 500, as the five-day winning streak from last week was broken. On Wednesday, stocks edged up despite a downgrade of Portugal’s debt to “junk” and a rise by 0.25% of China’s lending rates. The Dow came within 100 points of its 2011 high on Wednesday in reaction to positive retail sales and manufacturing reports. However, on Friday a very disappointing June jobs report, where only 18,000 jobs were added to the economy and unemployment creeped up to 9.2% weighed stocks down considerably. But despite a large gap down in the morning, stocks finished with only a moderate loss.

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New York Stock Exchange

25 Important Documents You’ll Need Before You Die

  • July 7, 2011/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Seeking Prudent Advice

Design your “Death Dossier” soon or you could be setting up your heirs for frustration and financial pain:

25 Important Documents You’ll Need Before You Die

The Essentials
• Will
• Letter of instruction
• Trust documents
Proof of Ownership
• Housing, land and cemetery deeds
• Escrow mortgage accounts
• Proof of loans made and debts owed
• Vehicle titles
• Stock certificates, savings bonds and brokerage accounts
• Partnership and corporate operating agreements
• Tax returns
Bank Accounts
• List of bank accounts
• List of all user names and passwords
• List of safe-deposit boxes
Health-Care Confidential
• Personal and family medical history
• Durable health-care power of attorney
• Authorization to release health-care information
• Living will
• Do-not-resuscitate order
Life Insurance and Retirement
• Life-insurance policies
• Individual retirement accounts
• 401(k) accounts
• Pension documents
• Annuity contracts
Marriage and Divorce
• Marriage license
• Divorce papers


Learn more in this article:

Documents You Need Before Death
Documents You Need Before Deathhttp://finance.yahoo.com/focus-retirement/article/113073/documents-need-before-death-estate-plan-wsjIt isn’t enough simply to sign a bunch of papers establishing an estate plan and other end-of-life instructions. You also have to make your heirs aware of them and leave the documents where they can find them.

Weekly Review ~ Friday, July 1, 2011

  • July 1, 2011/
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  • Under : Weekly Market Review

Stocks soared on Monday following news that new international requirements on the amount of capital so-called “too-big-to-fail” banks need to keep on hand were less stringent than originally expected. On Tuesday, the Dow had its biggest gain in over two months as investors rejoiced over a potential resolution to Greece’s debt crisis. US home prices also rose for the first time in eight months. Stocks advanced once again on Wednesday, with Greece passing a controversial austerity measure as a first step to calm default concerns. On Thursday, the second quarter ended with a fourth consecutive win. Still, the markets took a sizeable hit this quarter, despite the recent rally. Friday kicked off the new quarter with another huge gain to finish the week five-for-five, with a very positive manufacturing sector report for June indicating a pick-up in economic activity.

It was a stand-out week for all the major indexes, with large gains registered across the board.

The U.S.financial markets will be closed Monday, July 4, 2011, in observance of Independence Day.

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New York Stock Exchange

Got retirement plans? Your spouse may disagree

  • June 30, 2011/
  • Posted By : admin/
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  • Under : Retirement

A recent survey by Fidelity shows that wives and husband don’t share retirement-planning duties nor agree on the plan:

  • Only 41% of couples surveyed handle retirement investment decisions together.
  • Only 17% of couples say either spouse is prepared to assume sole responsibility of their retirement finances.
  • Although women are more likely to outlive their husbands, only 35% of wives say they are completely confident in their ability to take over the finances.  72% of husbands feel they can.
  • 33% of couples say they don’t agree or don’t know where they plan to retire.
  • 62% of couples nearing retirement don’t agree on the age at which to stop working
  • 47% of couples nearing retirement don’t agree on whether they will continue to work in retirement.

Here’s what you should do and know:

  • Both husbands and wives should know where critical documents are kept
  • Both need to know what to do if their spouse is no longer able to assist with financial decision-making
  • Both should have an understanding of the family’s finances, savings, and investment goals.
  • Both should become active in financial planning and meeting with the family’s financial and investment advisors.
  • Both husbands and wives should talk about retirement and finances more often together for better agreement and mutual understanding.

Weekly Review ~ Friday, June 25, 2011

  • June 24, 2011/
  • Posted By : admin/
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  • Under : Weekly Market Review

A plan to deal with the Greek debt situation led stocks upward on Monday to a healthy gain. On Tuesday, the Dow rose over 100 points on continued optimism over Greek debt relief, while the market awaited the upcoming Fed meeting. The major indexes were unable to keep mid-day gains on Wednesday when Fed Chair Bernanke failed to say something unexpectedly positive in his post-meeting address. On Thursday, the Dow dropped precipitously in the morning, but managed to finish with only a moderate loss as investors reacted negatively to a plan by the International Energy Agency to release more oil onto the global market. Friday ended the week with yet another loss as concern over Italian banks weighed on investors’ minds more than an upward revision in the first quarter GDP to 1.9% growth encouraged investors.

The Dow finished down for the seventh time in eight weeks.
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New York Stock Exchange

6 Investing Mistakes To Avoid

  • June 24, 2011/
  • Posted By : admin/
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  • Under : Seeking Prudent Advice

Roger Wohlner is a fee-only financial advisor and one of our favorite financial bloggers.  He wrote an article this week for U.S. News and World Report focusing on 6 mistakes to avoid in investing:

  1. Inability to take a loss and move on.
  2. Not selling winners.
  3. Not setting price targets.
  4. Trying to time the market.
  5. Worrying too much about taxes.
  6. Not paying attention to your investments.

Roger concludes, “If you are uncomfortable reviewing your investments, it may make sense for you hire a financial professional to take an independent look at your portfolio.”

Learn more in Roger’s article: 

6 Investing Mistakes To Avoid – Yahoo! Financehttp://finance.yahoo.comInability to take a loss and move on. Psychologically, it’s difficult for investors to sell an investment with a loss. Often they prefer to wait until the investment at least gets back to a break-even level. However, that may never happen or may take a long time to do so. The best approach is to…

“for me, for you, for later” — First Steps to Spending, Sharing, and Saving

  • June 21, 2011/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Seeking Prudent Advice

Seasame Street is helping parents teach kids about value with a new program to help kids develop good financial habits:

Each time your young child sees you spend money or use the ATM, she is building an understanding of what money is. You can guide that understanding with simple activities about making good choices; what has value; and spending, sharing, and saving. Over time you’ll see that, through everyday conversations and fun, you can help your child grow up to make good financial decisions.

View the multimedia program at SeasameStreet.org: 

for me, for you, for later -- First Steps to Spending, Sharing, and Saving

for me, for you, for later | SEASAME STREET| seasamestreet.orghttp://www.seasamestreet.orgFor Me, for You, for Later: First Steps to Spending, Sharing, and Saving, is a bilingual multimedia program created to help families share experiences in developing financial basics that will impact their children now and in the future.

Weekly Review ~ Friday, June 17, 2011

  • June 17, 2011/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Weekly Market Review

On Monday, a couple of high profile buyouts failed to propel stocks past the unchanged level, as concerns over the health of the economy continue. The market finally delivered the long-awaited snapback from oversold levels on Tuesday with the Dow logging its largest gain in a month. Those gains were erased on Wednesday following rioting in Greece due to the frustration over the Mediterranean country’s economic woes. Greek debt fear abated somewhat on Thursday, as the Dow and S&P 500 made modest gains, but the NASDAQ slid once again. On Friday stocks managed moderate gains despite no clearcut solution to Greek debt.

The Dow and the S&P 500 broke their six week losing streak, although just barely.
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New York Stock Exchange

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