AKIN INVESTMENTS

Schwab, TD Ameritrade merger is spot on! check out my blog posts about the race to zero commissions.

Those of you have read and followed this blog for years know that I've been writing and speaking about for a very long, long time... The race to the bottom of commission rates, no more customers man and more https://www.akininvestment.com/post/2018/08/21/disruptive-price-free https://www.akininvestment.com/post/2019/03/08/fintech-embrace-the-future https://www.akininvestment.com/post/2018/08/01/no-more-customers-man Advice in a Stormy Financial Sea Some of Stephen Akin’s jarg

There's still time to fund your 2018 IRA contribution and receive the Tax Benefit if you've not yet filed your 2018 return. Longer life spans and potentially lower investment returns mean you need to save more to cover your retirement needs. The exact amount you should be saving depends on your age and spending needs, but a good rule of thumb is to save at least 10% to 15% of your pre-tax income each year. As a Registered Investment Advisor my only interest is my clients succ

If you did not fund an Individual Retirement Account in 2018 there's still time. For 2019, your total contributions to all of your traditional and Roth IRAs cannot be more than: $6,000 ($7,000 if you’re age 50 or older), or your taxable compensation for the year, if your compensation was less than this dollar limit. For 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, your total contributions to all of your traditional and Roth IRAs cannot be more than: $5,500 ($6,500 if you’re age 50 or older), o

Four must do items for a healthy financial life in this new year! 1) Review your investment plan. The beginning of each year is an excellent opportunity to closely evaluate performance. Rebalancing is important to maintain proper asset allocation. Risk tolerance is also very important. Investors tend to take on uncomfortable levels of risk in rising markets. When market volatility returns they realize that the hard way. 2) Review Retirement Account Contributions. Be sure that

The recent market activity has opened up some unique investment opportunities. I've been investing in financial markets since the early 1980's We always hear "It's different this time". As we move forward though time, experience new innovation and geopolitical change it really is different. Technical analysis and the study of the aerodynamics of markets provide navigational tools and insights as to when and where investment opportunities are. Markets always tend to go too

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Now, an individual will need total itemized deductions to exceed $12,000, the new standard deduction for individual taxpayers, up from $6,350. Married couples would need deductions exceeding $24,000, up from $12,700. Here are some of the best ways to lower your tax bill for 2018: Unload losers After the recent market downturn chances are you have some investments that lost value this year. You can use those losses to zero out capital gains, an

If you are like many people you may not be confident in making financial and investment decisions on your own. Enter the investment professional. There are two main categories of professionals who can help you: the Stockbroker and the Registered Investment Advisor. They differ in two ways, A) their level of responsibility to you and B) how they get paid. A stockbroker is an employee at a financial firm who is paid a commission based on what you invest. He/she is basically a s

President Trump recently signed an executive order to make it easier for small employers to offer 401(k)s through multiple-employer plans and to review the rules on required minimum distributions (RMDs). Expanding access to multiple employer plans is a good idea and a central component of the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act of 2018, which is winding its way through Congress. The recommendation regarding RMDs, however, seemed to come from left field. Left-field proposal

Hurricane Florence Intermediate Advisory Number 60A...Corrected NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL062018 800 AM EDT Fri Sep 14 2018 Corrected direction from Myrtle Beach in Summary section Corrected movement from WNW to W in Summary section FLORENCE MAKES LANDFALL NEAR WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH NORTH CAROLINA... ...LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGES AND HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS CONTINUE... ...CATASTROPHIC FRESHWATER FLOODING EXPECTED OVER PORTIONS OF NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA... SUMMA

It was just the other day I wrote about Fidelity cutting fees. This morning JP Morgan another Wall Street Powerhouse followed. The trend in the fast moving evolution of the Artificial Intelligence automated financial services platform is continuing. As my friends and clients know this is why I started my Firm. To offer a way through the nuanced world of investing, a/k/a the personal touch. You may have the fastest split second trading system in the world, but if you don't kno

There's still time to reduce your 2017 tax bill. You can make a tax-deferred individual retirement account contribution that can be applied to your 2017 tax return any time before April 17, 2018. Here's how to take advantage of this tax break for IRA participants. Max out your IRA. You can defer paying income tax on up to $5,500 that you contribute to an IRA. A worker in the 25 percent tax bracket who maxes out his IRA could reduce his tax bill by $1,375. But you don't need t

Walter Todd III, president and chief investment officer at Greenwood Capital provided a 2018 economic forecast Friday. ADAM BENSON | INDEX-JOURNAL Be smart, but be creative too. That’s the advice financial advisers have for people looking to diversify, re-calibrate or expand their 2018 investment portfolios. Officials forecast a brisk economy against the backdrop of a strong stock market and massive federal tax reform. “In some ways, this market reminds me of the period from

December is an excellent time to consider year-end tax planning moves to save taxes for 2017. Once tax season gets underway in Q1 2018, it’s too late for these smart ideas. Casualty loss deductions The tax reform framework repeals the casualty loss itemized deduction for 2018, so try to complete your claims to support a 2017 tax deduction. The 2017 disaster tax relief bill for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria victims exempts qualified disaster-related personal casualty losse

As 2017 comes to an end there is still time to take advantage of the many opportunities that will reduce taxes and create wealth. Financial markets have created a lot of gains over the past year. This is the time to take a serious look at your financial situation and determine what, if any, actions to take before the ball drops on new years eve. There have been many times in the past where I've helped my clients evaluate and rebalance their investment portfolio to be sure the

As a Registered Investment Advisor I Offer Independent, Objective Advice. Bloomberg writes: Equifax Is Taking Over From Wells Fargo as the Financial Industry’s Villain Jesse Hamilton and Elizabeth Dexheimer Surane October 2, 2017, 3:55 PM EDT October 2, 2017, 4:51 PM EDT Ex-Equifax CEO will testify before House committee on Tuesday Wells Fargo chief also will speak with lawmakers about scandal Wells Fargo's Image Problem Gets Worse Wells Fargo's Image Problem Gets Worse Wells

Akin Investment Advisory 104 Maxwell Avenue, Suite 333 P.O. Box 57 Greenwood, S.C. 29648 864 344 4438 shakin@akininvestmentadvisory.com www.akininvestmentadvisory.com #registeredinvestmentadvisor #FinancialPlan #wealthmanagement #taxadvice #portfoliomanagement #stocksandbonds

Some of Stephen Akin’s jargon stems from his days spent on waters. He grew up in Houston, Texas, boating and fishing, and became certified as a Merchant Marine Master. So when he uses terms like “stormy” and “coasting” when referring to his multi-decade career in the securities business, it is often because of his lifelong affection with the sea. “When helping clients with their financial lives, you must monitor their position and the progress toward their goals,” says Akin.

September 23, 2016 Fee-only financial planners are registered investment advisors with a fiduciary responsibility to act in their clients’ best interest. They do not accept any fees or compensation based on product sales. Fee-only advisors have fewer inherent conflicts of interest, and they generally provide more comprehensive advice. Commission-based agents and brokers often take offense at this distinction. Blurring the difference, they created the category dubbed “fee base