Make 2019 Your Year of Financial Clarity
January is the time where you can’t avoid those articles and conversations discussing the best New Year’s resolutions and how to make this year your greatest. This article is different in that we would like to offer you the tools, support, and partnership to get started with financial independence [...]
Investing as an American Expat
Increasingly, American citizens are moving overseas to advance their careers, to retire abroad, or for family reasons. Living in another country is exciting but brings forth many new challenges. This includes adapting not only to a new culture, but also a new financial, tax, and legal system. Just like [...]
A Pitfall of the “Backdoor” Roth IRA Conversion
Every few months, a reputable financial news website like MarketWatch, CNBC, or The Wall Street Journal releases an article about the benefits of contributing to a non-deductible IRA and converting that contribution to a Roth IRA (a “backdoor” Roth IRA contribution). However, these articles seemingly gloss over the complexity [...]
Guide to Giving: When to Give
You have reached a point in your life where philanthropy is important to you. Financial success has been achieved and you now want to give back. You may not be sure, however, how much you can afford to give during your lifetime and/or through your estate. In your estate, [...]
The PFIC Problem
Whether you are a young executive planning your first move overseas or a high-net-worth individual retiring in another country, there are many financial matters to consider when moving abroad. No matter how many years someone has spent outside the United States, a U.S. citizen or a current green card [...]
The Complexity of Retirement Planning
After graduating from college, typically you begin a career and (hopefully) start saving for a rainy day. Years quickly pass and before you know it you might be married with children. Soon after the children arrive, you begin planning for their college. Next, you hear relatives and friends discussing [...]
Five Simple Year-end Tax Planning Strategies:
The end of 2018 is fast approaching. Thanksgiving flew by, and now it’s time to make sure holiday presents and plans are set as we gear up for cold weather and special times with family and friends. It’s a busy time, but don’t forget – your finances can use [...]
Broker Vs. Investment Advisor: What Are the Differences? Why Is It Important to You?
Both brokers and investment advisors are licensed professionals who assist investors with their financial goals and objectives. Brokers are regulated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) while investment advisors are regulated by either the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or their home state regulatory body, depending on the advisor’s [...]
Rising Rates: A Blessing in Disguise for Bond Holders
With the recent increases in interest rates, many investors begin to question their allocations to fixed income. These questions and doubts are not without reason: bond values move in the opposite direction as interest rates, so if rates continue to increase, it is only natural to assume that bond [...]
The Shortfalls of ETF Investing
Despite gaining widespread popularity, Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) are not an all-encompassing solution; they are just another “tool in the toolbox.” For the do-it-yourself investor, ETF investing has a variety of shortcomings and presents unique challenges: ETFs cannot help an investor determine the proper asset allocation The sheer size [...]
How Well Do You Know Your Advisor?
Chances are, if you are reading this you have an advisor. Someone who is making decisions on your investment portfolio and in whom you have placed a significant amount of trust. After all, we are talking about your future financial security, right? Well, my question to you is, how [...]
GETTING TIPSY: HAVE WE REACHED THE TIPPING POINT FOR TIPS?
Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (or “TIPS”) provide investors with a useful tool to manage inflation risk and preserve purchasing power. The unique properties of TIPS can make them an attractive investment; however, there are important considerations in determining if they are appropriate for a given investor. This paper examines [...]
Quarterly Review – Fourth Quarter 2018
Seven words describe the 2018 equity markets: An escalator up and an elevator down! The fourth quarter of 2018 proved to be challenging with the S&P 500 retracing more than it gained during the first nine months of the year. It is perhaps this fact that makes the fourth [...]
Quarterly Review – Third Quarter 2018
Here’s a party we can all agree on… U.S. equity markets had a fantastic quarter, with the S&P 500 rising 7.7%, nearly tripling the return of the index’s first-half return of 2.6%! Driven by year-over-year quarterly earnings growth between 20%-25%, the market embraced equities and pushed the index to [...]
Quarterly Review – Second Quarter 2018
If you plan to drive to your summer vacation destination, it’s unlikely that you will set the cruise control at 70 mph and only decelerate upon arrival. Curves in the road, construction zones, and that slow driver that won’t get out of the left lane require us to moderate [...]
Quarterly Review – First Quarter 2018
First quarter market gyrations demonstrated the extremes of investor sentiment from the “fear of missing out” tothe “fear of losing.” The former was evidenced in January, with a 5.8% rise in the S&P 500 followed by the latter inFebruary with an intra-month market correction of over 10%. While the February [...]
Quarterly Review – Fourth Quarter 2017
Happy New Year! But to be honest, 2017 was pretty great! Nearly every asset class and global market was positive for the year. Looking forward, we don’t think the clock has struck midnight on this market just yet, and that’s not the champagne talking either! Corporate earnings in both [...]
Quarterly Review – Third Quarter 2017
A market in motion stays in motion…unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.1 We suspect this is how Sir Isaac Newton, as a 21st century market strategist, would view the current capital market trends. Global equity and fixed income markets continued their 2017 upward trajectory during the quarter. The [...]
7 Hidden Costs of Retiring Abroad
Round Table’s Frederic Behrens was recently quoted in US News & World Report discussing the hidden costs of retiring abroad. If you’re a US citizen looking to retire abroad, this article highlights some key points to address. Please reach out to Fred (http://bit.ly/2QKhuPC) if you should have any questions or [...]
A Woman’s Worth Luncheon
Round Table Wealth Management was delighted to be a co-host of an actively attended luncheon themed “A Woman’s Worth” on Wednesday, April 26th at the beautiful Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield, NJ. RTWM’s Senior Director, Mariella Foley moderated the event together with Act II Consulting Founder, Alicia Barker. [...]
Round Table Wealth’s Seminar Series Rolls On
RTWM recently completed their Spring educational seminar series. Covering a variety of key issues for the individual investor, attendees had the opportunity to hear firm Partners Steven Giacona, Robert Davis and Bruce Hyde as well as Senior Director Fran Hayes, provide insights and strategies that investors should be considering [...]
RTWM In The Kitchen — Rolling Up Our Sleeves
On May 11th, a few members from our staff here at RTWM participated in prepping and packing meals for Mobile Meals of Westfield. “It was a wonderful experience to help in the Mobile Meals process knowing that these meals will be getting to people who really need them the [...]
Round Table Kicks Off Seminar Series
Round Table Wealth Management hosted an educational seminar at the beautiful Indian Trail Club in Franklin Lakes, NJ on March 22nd. Led by Director, Taylor Thomas, the event included presentations by RTWM's founder, Steven Giacona, Bruce Hyde, and Fran Hayes. Also presenting at the event was guest speaker Alec Borenstein, [...]
2017 PASEsetter Awards
On Tuesday, February 28th, Round Table Wealth Management attended the 2017 PASEsetter Awards Benefit held at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. The event honored those who have given outstanding service and leadership to the City's youth. PASE’s mission is to improve the quality of afterschool programs for [...]