Taking care of your personal finances can be challenging, especially if you have no one to turn to for help.  A better approach is to build a team of professionals who will work together to best serve your interests. With 2012 underway already, this is a good time to “reassess your Trusted Team — the [...]

We are often asked questions like “What is a good stock to buy now?” Or “Which mutual fund would be right for me?” Or “How many stars has Morningstar awarded the funds you use?” While they may be interesting, these questions are irrelevant to the mission of most investors. The meaningful question is “What should [...]

The story of the European debt crisis should be viewed as a warning to the United States to rein in its budget deficit and mounting debt. While financial markets worldwide ride a roller coaster of uncertainty about the fate of the Euro, the US Congress should be working tirelessly to avoid the same crisis. “We [...]

A positive sign for the U.S. economy came Friday when the US Bureau of Labor Statistics announced November unemployment fell to 8.6 percent as the nation’s nonfarm payroll rose by 120,000 jobs.  The biggest growth in jobs came from the retail sector, which hired 50,000 in November to accommodate holiday shoppers.  Employers added jobs in [...]