If you invest in your employer sponsored retirement plan you have probably heard of Target-Date funds. These funds are characterized as investments that change the allocation of stocks, bonds, and cash according to your specified retirement date. In theory, these funds should progressively reduce risk exposure as the target date approaches. However, there are no [...]
When selecting mutual funds to use in our client’s accounts we use various quantitative and qualitative factors to evaluate if we believe a fund can add value. Morningstar is the most widely used source of mutual fund data and analysis, so we rely on their data for a significant portion of our research. One thing [...]
On November 1st, 2009 Allison Berger completed the Rex Healthcare Half Marathon in Raleigh, NC. She finished with a time of about 2:05:20. Although the course was hillier than her training runs she still beat her goal of running 10 minute miles. This was the first distance running event that Allison has participated in and [...]
When researching mutual funds to invest client funds, we evaluate numerous aspects including corporate culture, manager experience and compensation, research philosophy, and expenses. One of our primary concerns is that fund managers have their interests aligned with those of shareholders. In our view we find one of the best measures of this to [...]
On Tuesday, September 15th, Allison Berger, CFP® and Chad Smith, CFP®, both junior partners at Financial Symmetry, Inc., returned to their alma mater to speak to NC State’s Personal Finance Club, which is based in the College of Management.
The club was created for students who are interested in careers in financial planning, who want to [...]
A key aspect of financial planning is managing expenses. However, setting a budget and consistently monitoring it is easier said than done. That is why we recommend using an expense tracking software to keep track of your spending. Mint.com is a relatively new personal finance website that takes a lot of the work out of [...]
The recent economic turmoil has left many people with hard-to-answer questions. That’s why local professionals have combined their efforts to give back to the public through the “Your Money Clinic” scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19th from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Warren Buffett is lending his voice to a new cartoon series that aims to teach valuable financial lessons to kids through entertainment.
Naturally parents want to provide the best for their children. For many parents today this means paying for them to earn a college degree. This is an admirable goal, and one that their children will greatly appreciate when they graduate free from student loan debt. But what does saving for the ever-rising cost of college tuition mean for their other lifestyle goals?
In the current economic environment employers are evaluating all of their cost cutting options, which may lead to suspending or reducing their 401k match. Here are some questions you should ask yourself when deciding if you should continue contributing to your 401k plan.
