Blog

Random thoughts on the end of Tax Season for 2010: How long must you keep your tax records? Generally you should retain your tax records for three years from date of filing. So if you filed your 2009 return yesterday, you should retain access to a copy until April 15, 2013. Because the period is...

A revocable living trust can accomplish a variety of goals. You can provide for continued management of your financial affairs during your lifetime, at your death and even for generations to come. Your revocable living trust avoids probate and reduces the chance that personal information will become...

Earnings season is once again under way. The line-up for week 1 includes Alcoa, Bank of America, General Electric, Intel, and JP Morgan Chase among DOW 30 components. Once again I put together a list of when each DOW 30 company reports. If you have questions regarding any stock not listed feel free...

This week for my series on the 2010 Health Reform legislation we'll discuss higher Medicare taxes on high-income taxpayers. Basically, high-income taxpayers will be hit with a double whammy: a tax increase on wages and new levy on investments. Higher Medicare payroll tax on wages. The Medicare pay...

I once again borrow from a film I have never seen for today's title. Back in February I noted that Europe would ultimately bail out Greece, which is up to its neck in debt and unable to borrow any more. At the time of my post, the Euro was changing hands at about $1.38; last week that level was $1...

Douglas Hendee is the newest addition to the Brighton Securities team. A resident of Penfield, Doug has been in the business of helping clients set and achieve financial goals since 1999. In 2007, Doug earned his Certified Financial Planner designation. Most recently with Morgan Stanley Smith Bar...

That's Dow 11,000: the oh-so-closely watched barometer of the stock market. Lately Wall Street savants and their media pals have been nattering about whether and when the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) will reach 11,000. Yesterday (Thursday) the Dow closed at 10,927 and in recent weeks has been...

To all the doomsayers: it's time to reevaluate your position. Every time I read the financial press or watch CNBC I hear your screeds of frightful futures (the banking systems bad assets, the government's record borrowing, the next bubble, etc.) and I wonder who would actually take your advice. Yo...

TICK, TOCK. The deadline for your 2009 return is a week away. Not quite ready? Fortunately, the Internal Revenue Service has some sympathy for procrastinators; the paperwork for filing an extension is simple, and it will give you until Oct. 15, 2010 to file. In other words, the IRS will give you a...

Ok, so you got started. After reading my blogpost a month ago you were inspired to march into your HR department and sign up for your 401k. An important step for sure, but rather than forget about your contributions completely, here are several ideas to put more away without taking too much of a blo...