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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
5 days ago2 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
Trump Account Application Now Live!
The application process for Trump accounts is now live and more than 5 million people have already signed up. While accounts cannot be funded until July 4th,, 2026 you can start the process now. Unfortunately, the process does not allow for advisors to do this for their clients and mistakes are being made. Here is a quick primer on the accounts to help you avoid any pitfalls. How do I open an account? Parents or legal guardians can open an account for their eligible childre
Steve Coker, CFP
May 292 min read
Traditional or Roth: Retirement Savings Game Plan
When it comes to saving for retirement, there are a variety of ways to go about it. It’s always a good idea to start by evaluating retirement plans that are available to you through your place of employment. Often, employers will match your contributions, which is an easy way to essentially double your savings, not to mention, earn more from your work. When setting up your retirement plan you’ll be faced with several choices regarding when to start contributing, what type of
Steve Coker, CFP
May 94 min read
Renting your Home
Renting out your home can be a smart way to generate income, but it also comes with tax consequences that must be carefully considered. While the rules can be complex, here are 3 key tax considerations when trying to decide whether to rent. 1. Capital Gains Exclusion One of the biggest tax benefits of home ownership is capital gain exclusion when you sell your primary residence. If you have owned your home for many years and it has increased in value, selling the home could
Steve Coker, CFP
May 12 min read
