James C. Molet's Blog, page 50

Retirement Income: Traditional Pension Pot vs. Buy-to-Let Properties

The following is a guest post from Michael Clark and PropertyTurkey.com. The buy-to-let market is facing its toughest challenge for many years. In what was once a safe and reasonably lucrative investment opportunity is now having its profits attacked. The UK government have introduced a cut to mortgage interest rate relief and added three percent to... Read Article →

Simple Money – A SavvyReview

Simple Money A No-Nonsense Guide To Personal Finance Paperback: 288 pages Publisher: Baker Books (March 1, 2016) ISBN-10:0801018862 | ISBN-13: 978-0801018862 Whether you are taking your first step or you are well ahead on your pecuniary journey, Tim Maurer’s ‘Simple Money’ is a steady diet of kudos serving up great help in developing a financial plan.... Read Article →

Advisers, Fees and Fiduciary Rules … Oh My

Earlier today, the Department of Labor today released long-awaited regulations that will likely have a significant impact on the way retirement advice is delivered throughout the country. These regulations, known as the ‘fiduciary rules’ or ‘fiduciary standards’ are scheduled to into effect by January 1st, 2018. Registered investment advisers have already been held to a fiduciary... Read Article →

For Your Viewing Pleasure

Stefan, over at The Millennial Budget, stopped by recently to pass along his thanks for bringing Big Men, the latest SavvyRecommendation, to his attention. He also asked about other suggestions that were available on Netflix. While there are only a handful available on Netflix – they are all available on one steaming platform or another, check... Read Article →

Taxpayer Return on Investment

In a couple recent posts, Poverty, Taxes and Getting Skin in the Game here on this blog, and Are You Overtaxed? over at Freedom is Groovy, Mr. Groovy and I exchanged some thoughts on taxation. One of the things we both noted is that our government, at all levels, needs to be more efficient in the... Read Article →

Big Men

Documentary: Big Men (2013). Written and directed by Rachel Boynton, this documentary follows a small group of American explorers, led by CEO Jim Musselman, of Dallas-based oil company Kosmos Energy. The two quotes that open the film immediately inform the viewer what will follow. “Tell me, is there some society you know that doesn’t run on greed? … What is... Read Article →

Poverty, Taxes and Getting Skin in the Game

Four factors serve as the contributors, or perhaps more accurately, as the catalysts for this post. As regular readers of this blog know, I have touched on the subject of poverty on multiple occasions. In fact, one of the most well received (page views and comments) posts in the recent past has been A Richer Understanding:... Read Article →

Reorient Your Spending

A spending plan is an effective tool for controlling debt and serves as a financial guide. It lets you know if you are heading in the right direction and are on track to reach financial goals such as buying a home, sending a child to college, or preparing for retirement. In addition to being an... Read Article →

Aging and Financial Divergence

In a past SavvyRecommendation, Middle Class Aspirations, I recommended a brief , Moving on Up, from the Pew Charitable Trusts and a documentary, Inequality for All. Moving on Up observes that one of the hallmarks of the American Dream is equal opportunity: the belief that anyone who works hard and plays by the rules can achieve economic... Read Article →

Strengthening the Financial Future of Families, Communities and the Nation

Last December, the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED), a multi-faceted organization working at the local, state and federal levels to create economic opportunity that alleviates poverty, and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, with generous funding provided to CFED by Citi Foundation, released What It’s Worth: Strengthening the Financial Future of Families, Communities and the... Read Article →