Berno Finanacial Management

Monday, April 1, 2013

Beware of Buying Individual Stocks: You May End Up Owning Something Else

Stock History

My stepfather, who will be 90 years old this summer, owns some JPMorgan Chase & Co. common stock. The JPMorgan Chase stock dividend was cut in the 2008 global financial crises and the share price was recently battered by international trading scandals. Is this a good stock for an 89-year-old?

Do You Really Know What's In Your Portfolio?

My stepfather never bought JPMorgan Chase common stock. He didn't inherit it or receive it as a gift. How did he come to own it today?

More than 30 years ago, my stepfather bought some stock in The Farmer's Savings and Trust Co., a local savings bank in his hometown of Mansfield, Ohio. The Farmer's Savings and Trust Co. only had offices in Mansfield and only made local loans. He knew the bank's president and many of the people on the board of directors. It was a simple, safe, local investment.

But then The Farmer's Savings and Trust Co. was bought by Bank One, a larger Ohio bank. Bank One started to expand regionally. In the 1980s and 1990s, regional bank stocks did very well, so his original investment accumulated quite a capital gain. Such a large capital gain became an obstacle to selling the stock.

"When you buy an individual stock, your original investment may grow into something completely different."
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Corporate Mergers Can Affect Your Investments

I've lost track of the corporate mergers, but I think Bank One bought Continental Bank in Chicago. Then JPMorgan & Co. merged with Chase Manhattan to become JPMorgan Chase & Co. Then Bank One merged with JPMorgan Chase. There may have been some other mergers along the way.

JPMorgan Chase common stock recently got pummeled by international trading strategies. But the bank that my stepfather originally bought stock in never did international stock trading. Many smaller, local banks in many communities were able to maintain and not cut their dividends during the 2008 global financial crises. But my stepfather's stock had "morphed" in to a much different bank than he invested in.

There are many similar stories of other companies in many industries. Some corporate changes have turned out well, some not so well.

Be Careful When You Buy Individual Stocks

One thing is for sure. Beware of buying individual stocks to buy and hold forever. Or be willing to sell and pay a capital gains tax, which most people won't do. When you buy an individual stock, your original investment may very well grow into a completely different animal.

About Bruce J. Berno, CFP^®
Bruce J. Berno, CFP^® is the founder of Berno Financial Management, Inc. a fee-only comprehensive personal financial planning and investment advisory firm headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since 1993, Berno Financial Management has been helping individuals and families achieve financial peace of mind. For more information about Berno Financial Management, visit http://www.bernofinmgt.com.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Financial Fire Drill: Quick, What's The Password?

I have a confession to make. I don't know how to run our washing machine. I knew how to run the old one, but not the new one. Truth be told, we've had the "new" washing machine for at least five years now. Sad excuse. Fortunately, I have a loving wife who does laundry for me. As a double bonus, my college and high school age children know how to run it. I'm on easy street, it seems. But I would be up the creek if I had to do laundry myself. Heaven help me.

Schedule a Financial Fire Drill

We're in a similar situation when it comes to our home banking and bill-paying. I do it all. I am as high-tech and paperless in our banking and bill-paying as possible. My dear wife, God bless her, is out of the loop. I have told her the master password to our accounts, but we've never had the equivalent of a fire drill to see if she remembers it and would know what to do if I became seriously ill or died. I need to put that on the "should do" list.

In the old days, if a spouse or child had to take over banking for their spouse or parent, they just picked up the checkbook and started writing checks.

The days of just picking up the checkbook and writing checks are over.

So stage a fire drill. There is no gender bias here. If the spouse who pays the bills had a stroke, would the other spouse be able to pay the bills? If your single mom or dad had a stroke, would you be able to pay their bills?

It's better to be safe than sorry.

"If your single mom or dad had a stroke, would you be able to pay their bills?"
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About Bruce J. Berno, CFP^®
Bruce J. Berno, CFP^® is the founder of Berno Financial Management, Inc. a fee-only comprehensive personal financial planning and investment advisory firm headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since 1993, Berno Financial Management has been helping individuals and families achieve financial peace of mind. For more information about Berno Financial Management, visit http://www.bernofinmgt.com.

Retirement Saving Starts with Your Teen

Is your teenager thinking about retirement? Have you ever wondered how to teach your teen about investing?
Whether it's your child or grandchild, a Roth IRA is a great way to start a teen's retirement savings and teach them about investing.

The Advantage of a Roth IRA

Why a Roth IRA? Teenagers are in a very low tax bracket, so a traditional IRA (where contributions are tax deductible) will be of little value. A Roth IRA does not offer a current tax deduction, but withdrawals in retirement are tax-free, there is no required minimum distribution at age 70½, and there are special provisions for early withdrawals if needed.

You can contribute 100% of your teen's W-2 income to a Roth IRA, up to $5,000 for 2012 or $5,500 for 2013. You can contribute up to $400 of "self-employed" income (such as what they earn from baby-sitting or lawn mowing) to be reported on Schedule C of their tax return; in addition, you'll avoid paying any FICA payroll tax on up to $400 of that income. So, you can even start a Roth IRA for a 12-year-old who does some baby-sitting or lawn mowing. For example, if your 15-year-old makes $1,200 working at a fast food joint or retail store, you can contribute up to $1,200 to a Roth IRA.

"A teen's Roth IRA is typically funded by a parent or grandparent."
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You can continue funding a child's or grandchild's Roth IRA into their early 20s, as they start their first job out of college. The ability to contribute to a Roth IRA is phased out for those who make over roughly $100,000 (which would likely only apply to professional athletes or rock stars). If you fund a Roth IRA from age 15 to age 30 or so, your teen can be well on their way to retirement.

Start Teaching Your Teen About Investing

The Roth IRA is a great way for your teen to learn about investments and see how the contributions make their Roth IRA account grow.

You can still open a Roth IRA for 2012 income. The deadline is the date you file their 2012 income tax return, prior to or on April 15, 2013.

Your teen may not thank you for many years, but isn't that typical?

About Bruce J. Berno, CFP^®
Bruce J. Berno, CFP^® is the founder of Berno Financial Management, Inc. a fee-only comprehensive personal financial planning and investment advisory firm headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since 1993, Berno Financial Management has been helping individuals and families achieve financial peace of mind. For more information about Berno Financial Management, visit http://www.bernofinmgt.com.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Financial Planning Must Be Inspired by the Heart

With February comes the celebration of St. Valentine's Day, which leads us to highlight a financial planning belief that isn't commonly considered: Successful financial planning must be inspired by the heart. Financial planning takes time and effort and requires the sacrifice of today's pleasures for tomorrow's. Why would we do this? We do it because of our heartfelt desire for financial peace of mind for ourselves and because of our love for those most near and dear to us. Have you ever thought of financial planning this way?

What Does Your Heart Want?

There are many things we "should" do or "want" to do but, in reality, we only get done what we truly commit our hearts to accomplish. Think of the priority you assign to:

Your relationship with your spouse or significant other
Your relationship with your family
Your relationship with your friends
Your mental well-being
Your physical well-being
Your spiritual well-being
Your career or avocation
Your financial well-being

It's OK to Ask for Help

Some people can accomplish all they want on their own. Most cannot, due to limitations in expertise or time. Most people need some help from other people.

For example, some people enhance their physical well-being with the benefit of a coach or trainer or by being on a team for support. Since personal financial planning is confidential by nature, it is hard to achieve in a group setting. You can do financial planning on your own, but most people don't have the time or expertise. There are also behavioral finance obstacles that are best managed with help from another person's perspective. In other words, you may need another person's insight before you can see how you need to change your behavior.

A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional is best qualified to serve your comprehensive personal financial planning needs.

Put your heart into it today. Your financial peace of mind will be greatly improved.

"Successful financial planning must be inspired by the heart."
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High-Income Individuals Must Save Beyond Contribution Caps

Do you let the government set your goals?

It seems that when it comes to retirement savings, many people do.

Many individuals save 3% of their income for retirement because that's what the government recommends to employers as a "safe harbor" contribution. Yet it's important to know that the contribution level considered "safe" for the employer is not necessarily safe for the employee.

Other people save 6% of their income for retirement because that's what their employer will match. This percentage, however, more likely reflects what's required of the employer to remain competitive and attract qualified employees rather than reflecting the actual needs of their employees. So what does 3% or 6% have to do with your retirement security?

Evaluating Your Yearly Retirement Savings

The amount you should contribute toward your retirement every year is influenced by many factors:

Age when you start saving for retirement
Amount of debt you have
Stability and predictability of your income
Future growth in income
Current marginal income tax bracket
Standard of living, both now and in retirement
Total income level (which can be capped)

Limits on Defined Contribution Plans

Congress sets total dollar limits on the amount you can save in tax-deferred qualified retirement plans. For defined contribution plans, in general, these limits in 2013 are:

$17,500
$5,500 extra "catch-up" contribution if you are age 50 or older
$51,000 defined contribution limit for employee and employer total

Here's the kicker: The maximum compensation for defined contributions plans, in general, is $255,000 in 2013. Therefore, if your income is over $255,000, the contribution limits have even less merit as a guideline for adequate retirement savings.

One lesson rings clear: If your income is over $255,000, additional savings and investments beyond the contribution limit of a traditional profit-sharing 401(k) plan may be needed to provide you with a retirement that is in line with your accustomed manner of living.

The time to plan for achieving a comfortable retirement is now.

"A contribution level considered 'safe' for the employer is not necessarily the same for the employee."
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Monday, January 14, 2013

Computer Passwords: Heard Any Good Ones Lately?

Computer passwords are no laughing matter.

Add "getting serious about my computer passwords" to your list of 2013 new year's resolutions.

Everyone knows you should floss your teeth often, and a lot of people do.

Everyone also knows you should have complicated passwords (and more than a handful), but few people do.

The Worst Passwords Ever

According to Jennifer Waters in The Wall Street Journal, "The annual compilations of 'worst passwords ever' are numerous but remarkably similar in their results. Moreover, the top 25 or so passwords are held by an alarmingly large number of people." Wondering what some of the worst passwords are? If your password is "password," "football," "qwerty," "11111" or any other common combination of letters or numbers, you should think about changing it.

"Computer hackers don't just sit around typing in passwords to websites at night." [Tweet this]

They have computer software programs that do it 24/7. If they hack passwords from a retailer, for example, they barrage major bank websites like Bank of America, Chase Bank, Citigroup and Wells Fargo to see what their "phishing" can catch.

Think of a Story

The best way to remember large numbers of passwords, according to Markus Jakobsson, a security research expert and advisor to the newly formed Council for Identity Protection, is to think of a story. Then come up with three words to describe the story. Customize it for different websites by adding a different color to the end, like red, white or blue.

Group Your Passwords

Identify different groups for your passwords list (for example, financial accounts, social media and retailers). Use different stories for different groups of accounts. Customize each story with a different ending so no two websites have the same password.

Software to the Rescue

Fight fire with fire. Consider using a password management software program. Popular programs include RoboForm Everywhere, Sticky Password, Kappersky Password Manager, DataVault and Handy Password Manager.

Imagine a few memorable stories and start your new year off right with new passwords!

About Bruce J. Berno, CFP^®
Bruce J. Berno, CFP^® is the founder of Berno Financial Management, Inc. a fee-only comprehensive personal financial planning and investment advisory firm headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since 1993, Berno Financial Management has been helping individuals and families achieve financial peace of mind. For more information about Berno Financial Management, visit http://www.bernofinmgt.com.

Stock Pickers Losing the War

When it comes to investing, the "active" versus "passive" management battle continues. What is it all about?

"Active" management describes investment advisors who think they can buy individual stocks and bonds that will perform better than the stock or bond market as a whole. For example, they buy Coca-Cola but not Pepsi, Apple but not IBM, or Macy's but not Target.

"Passive" management describes investment advisors who buy all of the securities in a market index in the proportion owned by the index. For example, they buy all 500 stocks in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index in the proportion that each stock is weighted in the index. The top five holdings would be Apple, Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Chevron and IBM. (Procter & Gamble is the eighth-largest holding, for those of you with Cincinnati roots.)

Investors Vote with Their Feet

In 2012, according to The Wall Street Journal, investors pulled about $120 billion dollars from actively managed funds, the largest yearly outflow since 2008, while pouring about $155 billion in to passively managed investments, the largest inflow since 2008.

Why Passive Management?

There are two key advantages to passive management.

"The advantages of passive investment management are hard to beat." [Tweet this]

Cost. Passive funds have significantly lower management fees and expenses. According to The Vanguard Group, one of the largest passive fund companies, its passively managed funds are 82% less expensive than the industry average. This is particularly important for bond funds in a low-interest-rate environment.
Diversification. Passive funds own more securities so there is less specific security risk. More important is the performance of stocks an actively managed fund doesn't own. If an actively managed fund doesn't own just a small handful of the top-performing stocks, it will under-perform.

The battle between active and passive management has raged for years and will continue to do so. The advantages of passive management, however, are hard to beat.

About Bruce J. Berno, CFP^®
Bruce J. Berno, CFP^® is the founder of Berno Financial Management, Inc. a fee-only comprehensive personal financial planning and investment advisory firm headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since 1993, Berno Financial Management has been helping individuals and families achieve financial peace of mind. For more information about Berno Financial Management, visit http://www.bernofinmgt.com.