Inspiration can be found everyday when we notice people treating each other as with respect, and smiles can be found whenever expectations are surpassed. It doesn’t need to be a big expectation either – A simple gesture often creates joy that snowballs into inspiration that allows people to become better people. Everyday happens everyday, but…
Author: gstc
Falling Interest Rates
Dear Garden State Trust: When the Fed cut interest rates at the end of July, the stock indices fell. I thought lower interest rates were good for stock prices? What’s going on? Should I be worried about my portfolio? —Worried Investor Dear Worried: Two factors seem to have been at work to produce this unexpected…
Comparing Apples to… Newer Apples
One of the conventional pieces of investment advice attributed to Peter Lynch is: invest in what you know. The advice may have been paraphrased from his book, Beating the Street, in which he provides a number of principles for investing. Principle #14: “If you like the store, chances are you’ll love the stock”. This observation…
Elderly Parents
Dear Garden State Trust: My parents are retired, living in another state. They have a sizeable investment portfolio and are financially comfortable. However, as they are getting older, they are having trouble keeping up with their paperwork. Last year they were late in making tax payments, very unlike them. I would help them, but I…
Fiduci-what?
All trust companies, including Garden State, are held to the “fiduciary standard”, but we don’t hold the monopoly on fiduciary services. In May, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) removed the word “fiduciary” from the mandated language registered investment advisors (RIAs) use in their customer relationship summary concluding the word is “legal jargon”. Based on…
Saving for Retirement
Dear Garden State Trust: How much of my salary do I need to save for retirement? —Responsibly Planning Dear Responsibly: The irreverent answer would be “all of it.” All kidding aside, there is no simple answer for everyone. The answer depends upon how many years until retirement, how much income will be required then, what…
Aretha Franklin’s Will Hidden in the Couch Cushions
Last year, many speculated on why Aretha Franklin did not have estate plans in place though she likely knew her end was quickly approaching from pancreatic cancer. The family and her attorney believed there was no will, so the disposition of her complex estate was going to be handled based on the laws of intestacy.…