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How to spot a scam
Unfortunately, it happens all the time. The best official estimate is that almost a million Americans are victims on cyber related fraud each year. This is not the same as being hacked, where computer systems are compromised. Fraudsters use clever narratives to convince victims to willingly hand over their cash, or the rights over the assets. There are many scams and they are difficult to spot. However, they often share some common characteristics. If you see any of these r
Steve Coker, CFP
14 hours ago3 min read
Why Gold?
During May of 2025 we made the decision to add gold, purchased through an exchange-trade fund, to many of our portfolios. At the time, we did not purchase gold because we expected some imminent US Government debt crisis, or governmental collapse. However, we purchased Gold as a hedge or insurance policy against crisis. Over the past year Gold has risen considerably, rising from a price of $3,000 per ounce last May to a peak of more than $5,300 before selling off to approximat
Steve Coker, CFP
Jul 162 min read
Market Update
Oil prices fell sharply this week as the prospects of a peace deal with Iran brightened. On Friday, West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil was hovering around $77 a barrel, a fall of about $12 from the prior week, and far below the $90 to $110 price per barrel when war in Iran was raging. The drop in oil prices caused stocks and Gold to rally off their lows. Even after the rally the S&P 500 is virtually flat so far in June, seemingly stuck in the June gloom that inhabits much of
Steve Coker, CFP
Jun 192 min read
What is the Difference Between Gain and Return?
How am I doing? It is a common question among investors. We all want to measure how well we are managing our money. Of course, we can simply watch to see if the balance grows, but most of us would like to measure our returns, usually in the form of a percentage rate. Unfortunately, most brokerage houses, including Schwab, Fidelity, and Ameritrade, don’t provide an investment return, they provide a gain or loss percentage, which isn’t quite the same. While these gain or
Steve Coker, CFP
Jun 123 min read
How to Pay Zero Percent Capital Gains
Most people are stunned to learn that the lowest Federal capital gains tax rate is 0%. That is right, tax-free, and while it does not apply to everyone, with the right planning, some of those capital gains in your investment portfolio could result in zero tax. For 2026 the 0% capital gains applies to married tax filers with taxable income up to $100,800. Taking the new $32,200 standard deduction into account means that a married couple can generate $133,000 in income and s
Steve Coker, CFP
Jun 52 min read
