The P&A Blog
A COVID-19 update from P&A
Out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of our clients, team members, and community, we have taken several steps to protect you and ourselves from the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. In taking these actions, we are maintaining...
A systematic and unemotional approach
On February 28th, we posted What not to do right now to the P&A Blog. The advice we posed in this article hasn’t changed. That said, there have been several drastic measures that have occurred around the country since then to contain the novel coronavirus:...
How markets work
Like anyone else, I watch TV. However, I might be a tad more discriminating about the “facts” I allow to invade my cranium. Previously mentioned in my scribblings is a passion for how things work. It is not unusual for me to take things apart before using them. ...
What not to do right now
This week has been a tough one. Markets went from all-time highs to correction territory (down 10%) in just six trading days. Rarely will you see money taken away so quickly. And since our personal monies are invested in the same stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and...
Key considerations for Roth vs. Traditional IRA contributions
One of the questions we often hear from our P&A Clients is, “Which is the better retirement account to put money into – a Roth or Traditional?” The answer to this question is, most often, “It depends.” There are many factors to consider in making the decision,...
Impacts of the SECURE Act & the “Stretch IRA”
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act became effective January 1, 2020. How does this new law affect you with regards to the “Stretch IRA”? What’s in the past… Prior to 2020, IRA and ROTH accounts could be used as a powerful...
Winter 2020 Book Reviews
Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber By Mike Isaac For those of you who read Bad Blood by John Carreyou, Super Pumped is of a similar vein (pun intended). The former is a story about a visionary founder who refused to accept that her revolutionary product simply didn’t...
P&A’s Down 20 Rule
One of Wall Street’s most famous sayings is “cut your losses and let your profits run.” In reality, many investors do the opposite, selling winners too early and holding onto losing positions too long (what’s known as the disposition effect). Behavioral finance...
Key concepts about money to teach your kids
When it comes to money, it is never too early to start educating your kids and teaching them good habits. Here are a few concepts that some of us at P&A have implemented with our own kids. If you are a parent, or even a grandparent, hopefully these concepts are...
Five implications of the SECURE Act
Just before Christmas 2019, Congress passed and the president signed the SECURE Act, the most significant update to retirement law in over a decade. Here are the five biggest implications: Elimination of Stretch IRAs for non-spouse inheritors: Beginning in...
How to challenge your IRMAA premium
Did you know that, if you have a significant loss of income after you retire, there is an appeal process for IRMAA? In other words, you might not be locked into paying higher premiums just because you were a high-income earner before retiring. Before we get into...
Holiday movie favorites – with a twist!
It seems like about everywhere you’ll find the “Best Of” lists, especially around the Holidays. At the risk of being unoriginal, below is my list of a few of the best movies with a Christmas Theme. But wait, there’s a twist! For each one, I’ve plucked out a lesson...
A liquidity haiku
This is my first ever haiku (and maybe my last), so bear with me: Cash when you need it.Doesn’t matter, then it does.That’s liquidity. When Berkshire Hathaway reported their earnings earlier this month, the most noteworthy item was their $128 billion cash stockpile. ...
Risk, control & the small business 401k
My first job out of college in the Internal Audit Department at Sprint didn’t initially seem like the ideal job I’d envisioned. I’d had dreams of high-finance or Wall Street, but to my pleasant surprise, I quickly realized that I had stumbled into an awesome learning...
P&A makes CNBC Top 100 list
We’re excited to announce that Pittenger & Anderson was ranked by CNBC as one of the top 100 financial advisory firms in the U.S. as part of their CNBC FA 100. As per the CNBC website: The CNBC FA 100 celebrates the advisory firms that top the list when it comes...
Five key ‘To-Do’s’ before year end
Dear P&A Client, You hired us for a reason, or two…maybe even three. One should be so that you don’t have to make financial decisions as if you’re stranded alone on a desert island. We see our job not only to effectively manage your investment portfolio, but...
Podcasts – P&A’s four financial favorites
Podcasting has been around since the early 2000s; however, it has ramped up in popularity the past few years. But, even though 70% of Americans have heard of Podcasting, only 32% are monthly listeners. At P&A, we are firm believers that sound knowledge of...
Schwab eliminates commissions
Good news for P&A clients! Effective October 7, 2019, Charles Schwab is eliminating trading commissions on U.S.-listed stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for trades placed online (mobile or web trading). Schwab had been charging $4.95 per trade on U.S....
