As we enter December, the last month on the calendar marks the final chance to cross your financial T’s and dot your I’s. For many, this means making last-minute charitable contributions, maxing out your 401k or ensuring your health care is solidified for next year. And for those individuals in their 70’s, this means satisfying their Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).... Read More
*A version of this article originally appeared on the CFA Institute's Enterprising Investor blog. I recently participated in a fun exercise. My friend Phil Huber, CFA, asked a group of us to define Evidence Based Investing in 10 Words or Less My favorite definition came from Bob Seawright, who said, “A relentless focus on what works, what doesn’t, and why.” On... Read More
If you need to cross a river, it's unlikely the bridge below you will collapse. That's because the engineer has been trained in hundreds of years of best practices. From tension and compression to the latest on when and where to use a beam, arch, truss or suspension for support, she knows what's come before. Not only that, but the... Read More
‘Because I said so‘ is the easy answer as a parent but rarely the best response. It's one I swore as a kid I'd never use when I grew up, but I do. The investing version of this time-saving shortcut, “Because I said so investing,” is allocating based on headlines—something we all know we shouldn’t do, but that proves tempting... Read More
I had a high school physics teacher who told me more than once, “always be true to your convictions, but prepared to abandon your assumptions.” At Cordant, we have a conviction for helping our clients make smart financial decisions and working with them to keep their financial lives on track. A key component in helping them make smart financial decisions... Read More
Almost every client has asked some version of this question and addressing it is an important part of what we do as financial advisors. To do that, we need a model, which we call your Baseline Financial Plan. Like any model, it’s only as reliable as the inputs. “Garbage in, garbage out” as the saying goes. Our model (your baseline... Read More
Intel is simplifying its retirement plan lineup by removing six investment options This change goes into effect September 1st, 2017 If you own any of these funds and don't make a change before the deadline, your investment will be automatically sold and the proceeds transferred into an age-appropriate retirement date fund For a complete list of eliminated funds and potential... Read More
Last weekend the Wall Street Journal had a short article titled Beware of Winging Your Retirement that emphasized giving thought to the non-financial aspects of retirement before reaching this major milestone. The upside to those who envisioned and planned for their future? Greater life satisfaction. From the article: But in talking with and hearing from hundreds of retirees through the... Read More
Starting in 2009, Intel announced a new form of stock compensation in the form of Outperformance Stock Units (OSUs) for top executives (MCM members) and expanded the OSU grants to executives grade 12+ in 2014 (coinciding with the last year of stock options). In 2017 for those levels 12+, OSUs will make up 60% of the focal grant’s value with... Read More
Now that we’ve calculated years of service and determined retirement eligibility, it’s time to see how they interact with retiree benefits. The benefits are grouped as follows: Medical Stock Compensation Bonus Pension Life Insurance Medical Benefits Health and Vision Coverage Retirees can continue medical coverage for themselves, their spouse and eligible dependents through the Intel Retiree Medical Plan (IRMP). In... Read More
