Our Blog

Welcome to the Forteris blog! Here you will find a variety of musings on financial planning and investment management topics. Based upon our experience, we will cover the issues that most commonly crop up, less well-known facts, as well as how current events may affect you.  We hope to use this forum to educate and, [...]

You’re now done with your taxes…or at least filed an extension. You made your 2012 IRA contribution just under the deadline. While finances are still at the forefront of your brain, we’d like to suggest that you take the time to make sure the designated beneficiaries on your accounts reflect how you would like your [...]

Since the creation of 529 plans in 1996, custodial accounts (UTMAs and UGMAs) have lost much of their appeal as a way to save for college expenses. However, you and your children may still benefit from establishing a custodial account.   Below we explore some history and the pros and cons of 529s and custodial [...]

Studies have shown that, the U.S.government notwithstanding, imposing deadlines leads to greater productivity.  Journalists work on deadlines. Students are given deadlines. Employees that are given clear responsibilities and deadlines are generally happier and more focused in the workplace. Most of us are notoriously bad at attaining our self-imposed goals, hence the existence of bridal boot [...]

How should I Invest my $3,000 nest egg? I have been trying to figure out how to start an investment portfolio. I have retirement savings through my company’s 401(k), a Roth IRA and personal savings. I have a small sum (less than $3,000) but I am trying to plan for the long run. Do you [...]

No Rent, No Mortgage You can do pretty well when you don’t have rent to pay. Consider Chris Sturgis, 33, who has been living in his parents’ Methuen, Mass., home since they moved to Japan four years ago. The only housing cost he is responsible for is about $400 a month in utilities. With his [...]

If you are married but are not employed or do not have workplace health benefits, then you may have wondered what would happen to your health insurance coverage in a divorce or if your employed and insured spouse becomes eligible for Medicare or worse, dies. Fortunately, you have a right by law to continue the [...]

As you probably know, interest rates for mortgages are at historic lows. These days, if you look around, you can likely find a no-points, no-closing cost, 30 year fixed rate mortgage for 4 percent or less. There is no question that that is a fantastic rate, but before you automatically sign up for a 30 [...]

Last year, taxpayers could have distributions from their IRAs paid directly to charities. These distributions “counted” as part of the taxpayer’s required minimum distribution (RMD) but they were not taxable distributions so the taxpayer received a benefit and the charities received a benefit. If you were one of the people who made a qualified charitable [...]

If you’ve saved for your child’s education using 529 plans but you don’t end up spending all the money in the account, what are the available options? First, you can leave the money in the account. Unlike Coverdell accounts, there is no requirement to liquidate the account by a certain age. Money can stay in [...]