Mountain Money Blog

The tax “fix” at the end of 2010 left us with a jumble of extensions, expirations, and new rules for 2012. We summarize some of the biggest changes and issues to watch for while planning your 2012 taxes.

Posted Wednesday, January 25th, 2012.

Historically low interest rates have tempted some fixed income investors to wander off course into exotic and untested new strategies. But there is a prudent way to expand your investment horizons into global bonds.

Posted Wednesday, January 25th, 2012.

From the debt ceiling fight to worries over foreign economies to phenomenal results for the fixed income markets, 2011 was a year of unprecedented volatility for the markets. Investors should, at least, prepared for a continued wild ride—but we also recommend a brief pause for appreciating our blessings, as we do.

Posted Thursday, January 12th, 2012.

Denver columnist Bruce DeBoskey writes about transitioning from being a donor to becoming a strategic philanthropist.

Posted Wednesday, December 21st, 2011.

Saving the Family Cottage: A Guide to Succession Planning for Your Cottage, Cabin, Camp or Vacation Home (Stuart J. Hollander, Rose Hollander & David S. Fry, 3rd Edition, Nolo 2009) is a comprehensive treatment of the perils of failing to plan carefully for passing a vacation home to the next generation and beyond.

Posted Thursday, October 27th, 2011.

The Vanguard Group announces it is abandoning active management in favor of an all passive approach in two of its most popular strategies.

Posted Tuesday, October 18th, 2011.

The S & P 500 index was down 13.90 % during the quarter, the worst quarter since the financial panic of 2008. The S & P 500 (US large cap stocks) was actually among the better performers of risky asset classes. Small caps were down 22% and international stocks fell 19.6%. On the other hand, [...]

Posted Wednesday, October 12th, 2011.

We all have something to give — time, money, ideas or things that we can send out into the world — to make it a better place. The recession and agonizingly slow recover, however, have pushed most of us to ignore or slow down on various forms of giving. Don’t let your philanthropic intents slide; instead, great or small, make them a robust part of your financial planning and you will reap the rewards even during difficult times.

Posted Thursday, September 22nd, 2011.

Now that some of the dust is starting to settle from the debt ceiling crisis, it’s a good time for long-term investors to take stock of lessons learned. The lessons are not new ones: having realistic principles to guide your portfolio is still the best hedge against volatility and chaos. And, in the broad scheme of things, it helps to keep your investments in perspective.

Posted Monday, September 19th, 2011.

This quarter’s equity market performance was characterized by significant volatility. Following an upward move in April, the market fell steadily for nearly two months. A strong rally in the last week of June left the S & P 500 with a fractional loss (-.10%, including dividends) for the quarter. Other asset classes were all over [...]

Posted Wednesday, July 27th, 2011.