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investments | Sharkey, Howes & Javer

Aug 09 2016
190

“The Silver Tsunami” Costs of Long Term Care Services in Denver

By | SH&J Blog, Tips | No Comments

Helping a loved one navigate through the long term care puzzle can be emotionally draining, time consuming, and downright frustrating. In addition, learning about the associated costs can be like throwing salt on a very open wound. Unless a money tree is growing in the backyard, finding a way to pay for long term care costs can be a major struggle for families.

Thankfully, companies like Genworth do the research for us and provide Cost of Care Surveys to help us set appropriate expectations. Here are the annual median costs for the Denver* area for 2015:

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Aug 04 2016
233

Inside the Economy with SH&J: August 1, 2016

By | Economic Discussion, Economy, Larry Howes, Planners, SH&J Blog, Videos | No Comments

July wrapped up with a nice rally in the U.S. markets, proving that summer can be a productive season in your investment portfolio. Today’s discussion brings our attention to U.S. GDP, the bond markets, and the emerging markets. Listen in to find out which two emerging market countries are projected to be the fastest growing in 2016!

Jun 06 2016
188

Getting the Most Bang for Your Remodeling Buck

By | SH&J Blog, Tips | No Comments

Sometimes, your home is one of the largest investments in your ‘portfolio’. Whether you are looking to stay in your home for a while or are considering selling soon, it’s important to pay attention to which remodeling projects will help you add the most resale value to your home.

According to the Remodeling 2016 Cost vs. Value Report as compiled by www.costvsvalue.com for the Denver area, these are the midrange projects shown to be the best bets when remodeling.

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May 03 2016
189

Fee-Only Advisors: What are you actually paying for?

By | SH&J Blog, Tips | No Comments

Oftentimes, making financial decisions can be overwhelming and emotional. In a world inundated with information via the internet, it can be hard to make heads or tails of it all. Working with a financial advisor can provide direction and peace of mind when making decisions, but how do you find a relationship that you can trust?

A good place to start is asking how the advisor is compensated. Working with a fee-only advisor can largely impact the services you receive. A fee-only advisor is paid by the client for the advice they give, not by product sales or commissions. This fee is typically on a project, hourly or retainer basis, or a percentage of assets under management. Be careful not to confuse fee-only with fee-based, which can include a client fee and commission component.

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Apr 05 2016
189

How to Responsibly Handle Your Tax Refund

By | SH&J Blog, Tips | No Comments

It’s tax season and for almost 80% of Americans, (source) a refund check may be in the mail. It’s easy to view a tax refund as free or easy money, but remember you worked hard to earn that money. Using your tax refund responsibly now can assist in reaching your financial goals in the future.

Here are 8 suggestions for using your tax refund responsibly:

Top Off Your Emergency Fund

An emergency fund is an important part of any smart budget. If your emergency fund has been depleted recently, think about using your tax refund to top it off. Depending on the circumstances, we typically recommend having an emergency fund that covers three to six months of basic living expenses.

Build Your Investment Portfolio

Consider using your tax refund to add to your investment portfolio. Talk to your Certified Financial Planner® about how to allocate your tax refund dollars amongst your investments.

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Apr 13 2015
211

2015 Q1 Quarterly Commentary

By | Investing, Quarterly Commentary, SH&J Blog, Videos | No Comments

“March Madness isn’t just for basketball anymore”

We experienced lots of thrilling and unnerving action both up and down the court in the markets. At year-end 2014, the S&P 500 was the All-star and International positions were the under achievers. The opposite proved true in the first quarter of 2015. The chart below captures the S&P 500’s volatility during various periods as it rotated between winning and losing for an overall quarterly return that was just under 1%. Lots of action – not much traction!

Uncertainty around the interest rate policy of the Federal Reserve has contributed much to the volatility. Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s last statement announced, unhelpfully, that the Fed is “data dependent” and the pace of interest rate increases could “speed up, slow down, pause, or reverse.” The main driver of the stock market is always corporate earnings, rather than political or media pronouncements. The strengthening U.S. dollar hurt U.S. companies’ foreign earnings, which were down 5.3% in the 4th quarter 2014. A strong dollar makes U.S. purchases abroad cheaper and foreign purchases of U.S. products more expensive. Most of the companies in the S&P 500 receive at least 50% of their earnings from abroad.

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Apr 07 2015
222

Tell me about your investment process

By | Investing, Karlton Childress, SH&J Blog, Videos | No Comments

Karlton does an excellent job of summarizing our investment process in the video above. The investment process with us is more than a onetime event, it is an ongoing process.

The process looks like this:

  • Define Goals and Objectives
  • Set Portfolio Expectations
  • Determine Asset Allocations
  • Monitor Investments
  • Review Regularly

We never consider our investment process to be ‘finished.’ Your circumstances change over the years and we will make sure we keep the process going to keep your portfolio on track. We’d love to set up a complimentary consultation for you to come in and learn more about our investment process and SH&J philosophy. Give us a call today at 303.639.5100.  

Mar 11 2015
200

5 Personal Finance Tips for Everyone

By | Investing, SH&J Blog, Videos | No Comments

Sharkey, Howes & Javer 5 Personal Finance Tips for Everyone

Personal finance is important whether you are just starting out or have been in the game a while. Here at SH&J, we know how you manage your personal finances directly impacts the success of your complete financial plan. We’ve pulled together five tips anyone can use to help manage their own finances.

  1. Start Early
    There’s no time like the present to start working on your personal finances. The sooner you start saving and investing your money, the better off you will likely be in the long run. Seek advice from a Certified Financial Planner™, read books and blogs on finances to gain knowledge, and find tools to help you stay on track. We also recommend talking to your kids about money from an early age to help set them on the right financial path.
  1. Know Where Your Money Goes
    Have you ever come to the end of a month and wondered where your monthly paycheck really went? If so, you’re not the only one. Staying on top of your personal finances means paying attention to where your money goes. Find a system that works for you. Some prefer online tools for tracking expenses, while others need to carry a notebook and write everything down. Whatever the system, make sure you pay attention to how your money is being spent.
  1. Learn Self Control
    At any age or stage of life, it can be difficult to say no to the vacation, night out on the town or those new shoes. But, the practice of self-control can lead to much greater monetary achievements. When you really want to purchase an item or experience, give it a couple of days before pulling the trigger. Consider whether what you want is really what you need, and how your decision will impact your long term goals. By learning to delay unnecessary purchases, you may free up more money to save and invest elsewhere.
  1. Simplify Your Life
    It’s easy to get caught in the race to keep up with the Joneses – a bigger house, the newest car model, the latest fashion. Rather than trying to keep up, simplify. Warren Buffet, one of the world’s richest men, still resides in the home he bought in Omaha, Nebraska in 1957 for $31,500 (source). When it comes to finances, focusing on the big picture, while keeping your life as simple as possible, often leads to greater success.
  1. Take Control
    Instead of being a passive bystander, take the reins of your personal finances. Build a team you can trust, from your banker to your financial planner to a trusted friend or family member, people who will hold you accountable. Stay in touch with your team, and pay close attention to the information they send you such as quarterly reports. Take an active interest in not only where your money goes, but also how it grows.

Personal finances can be tricky at times, but with the right tools and a commitment to seeing your goals come to fruition, you can find financial success. Take our tips and implement them into your personal finance strategy. If you need help creating a more in-depth financial plan, we’d love to talk. Reach out today.

Mar 02 2015
200

How do you manage investments?

By | Investing, SH&J Blog, Videos | No Comments

Great relationships are formed by taking time to get to know each other. That’s exactly how we start our investment management process with you.

We want to:

  • Learn about who you are
  • Discover your goals
  • Understand your risk tolerance

As Stephen says, “We know our clients are unique and canned plans just don’t fit.” So once we have gotten to know each other, we begin building a customized portfolio.

Our managed portfolios typically include:

  • Mutual Funds
  • ETFs
  • Individual Stocks and Bonds

After we have built your portfolio, we continue to monitor your investments. We meet regularly to take a hard look at market trends and the global economy. We manage portfolios as a team in order to make the best possible decisions with our client’s investments.

As the years go by and circumstances change, we will continue to meet with you to update your goals and make changes to your portfolio. Our goal is to not only have you as a client, but also as a friend.

If you’d like to learn more about our investment management process or our other services, please give us a call at 303.639.5100.