Financial Advisor vs. Robo-Advisor: Which is Better?

Financial Planning Profession, Investing

People often ask me if they should use robo-advisors for their financial planning needs. Like most topics in personal finance, there is not a clear answer. As a financial advisor who wants to grow his own practice, a technology enthusiast, and a person who wants to...

Comparing a Diversified Portfolio to an Index is Misleading

Investing

Too often, investors measure the success of their portfolios or the effectiveness of their financial advisors relative to the performance of well-known stock market indices. While it is important for investors to have a tool to measure the success of an investment...

The Cost of Market Timing

Investing

In a previous article, I discussed the cost of waiting to invest for retirement. Once you made the decision to invest, it is important to decide on an investment strategy. Two common investment strategies are called “buy and hold” and “market timing”. A buy and...

How Often Should I Contribute to a Roth IRA?

Investing

The most popular investing question people ask me is how much they should invest. Assuming it makes sense for their financial situation, I usually encourage them to invest as much as they can. A common follow-up question they ask is what type of account they should...

Health Savings Account: The Secret Retirement Account

Investing, Retirement Planning

Do you have high-deductible health insurance plan through work or a non-government policy you purchased yourself? If so, you might have access to a great a great retirement account you never heard of. It is called a Health Savings Account (HSA) and it is a hidden gem...

Active vs. Passive Investing Part IV: Your Choices Matter

Investing

In the first article of this series, I went over the differences between active and passive mutual funds. In the second part, I talked about how fees play a role in this debate and why it may not matter that much in the future. In the third part, I discussed the pros...