Bedel Blog

Many investors aren’t aware of their ability to borrow against their portfolios. But margin loans, at times, can be an effective tool for securing needed funds. It’s critical to ensure you understand the tax implications, as well as what a margin loan might mean for the overall health of your portfolio. Read on as we discuss the pros and cons of margin loans and whether they might be right for you.

Is your child’s identity at risk? That might sound like a crazy question, but young children are prime targets for identity theft. We’ve outlined how children’s identities can be stolen, warning signs to look for, and what you should do if you find out your child has become a victim.

If your investment portfolio is exposed to economies whose currencies continue to depreciate against the U.S. dollar, the risk in your portfolio can rise. What causes this and what does it mean to you? Anthony explains this growing trend and how to be sure you’re comfortable with the amount of risk in your portfolio.

If you are 65 years old, you have a 70% chance of needing long-term care. Can you afford $90,000 per year? If not, you may want to include LTC insurance in your financial plan. Or, you can take the chance of being in the lucky 30%!

Can you pay for k-12 tuition with a 529 plan? You can now! While this could have a nice tax advantage for families that save, there is some very important information to understand first. We’ve broken down the benefits, the potential traps and ways to get around them.

As if Social Security isn’t confusing enough at times, Social Security spouse benefits can present a whole new set of challenges: When do you claim? Should you claim your benefits or your spouse’s benefits? How much of your spouse’s benefits can you claim? We’ve laid out several different scenarios to help guide you through what can seem like a labyrinth at times.

As financial planners and investment advisors, we see mistakes that employees make when handling their 401(k)s. Four such mistakes standout as having the greatest impact on a comfortable versus not-so comfortable retirement.

Evan had the privilege over the last couple years to serve as a mentor to Max Moroknek, a student and entrepreneur at Brebeuf Jesuit, Evan’s alma mater. Evan discusses the importance of mentorship and giving back to younger generations, as well as a pretty nifty gadget Max and his business partner created.

“Growth” stocks are dominating the stock market right now – think FANG (Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, and Google). So have we seen the heyday of “value” stocks, never to be repeated again? Not so fast – both “growth” and “value” stocks have their place in your portfolio. Read on for the details on both types of stock and what they mean for your portfolio…plus the one thing you might want to do right now to ensure you’re on the right track.

Do you know what post-high school educational expenses qualify for tax-free reimbursement from your child’s 529 account? It’s important to know what expenses do qualify in order to avoid paying taxes and a penalty for those expenses that don’t.

Anyone with children knows the cost of a college education is steadily on the rise, and that money has to come from somewhere. So what's a parent to do? We discuss ways to 1) determine how much to save and 2) ways to save for your children's education.

It has become increasingly popular to keep your “adult” children on your health insurance plan until age 26, but it’s not as simple as just letting them use your insurance coverage. Read on for the ins and outs of health insurance and HSAs and what that might mean for your adult children.