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  • Services
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Myopia and Robinhood’s Infinite Leverage Cheat Code

Myopia and Robinhood’s Infinite Leverage Cheat Code

Jan 16, 2020

I spoke at the Trust Advisors Forum conference in Pinehurst earlier this year on the topic of Millennials and investing, and one of the things I discussed was some of the emerging technology and apps in the world of personal finance. This included Robinhood, the trading app that targets millennials...

The Best Retirement Account May Not Actually Be a Retirement Account

The Best Retirement Account May Not Actually Be a Retirement Account

Aug 15, 2018

There are two basic types or retirement accounts. The first is the tax-deferred type. This is your traditional 401(k) or traditional IRA. Money that goes in is pre-tax or tax-deductible, the funds grow tax-deferred, and then you pay income taxes on the distributions in retirement (after age 591/2). The second...

Private Equity for the Little Guy

Private Equity for the Little Guy

Oct 12, 2017

One of the biggest frustrations for an investor is when you identify a company that you think will be truly disruptive to an industry, only to find out it’s not publicly traded. Remember how cool you thought Facebook was after you first set up your profile? It sure would’ve been nice...

Will Bitcoins Work in the Zombie Apocalypse?

Will Bitcoins Work in the Zombie Apocalypse?

Jul 12, 2017

The answer is no, because bitcoin requires a functioning global network and a reliable power supply, and everything I’ve learned from zombie movies tells me those things won’t be around long. To be fair, cash or credit cards wouldn’t help you in this scenario either. But I have so many...

Christmas Poem: A Visit From Trump

Christmas Poem: A Visit From Trump

Dec 5, 2016

’Twas the day of the election, when all through the exchange, not an asset was trading, outside a tight range. The polls all showed, and the media was sure, that America would certainly, be voting with “Her”. The city folk were nestled, in front of their TV, while visions of...

The 13% Myth

The 13% Myth

Jul 16, 2015

Recently, a client asked me what I thought about a video that was making its way around Facebook a few weeks ago demonstrating the power of investing early. I can’t find it anymore, but the basic premise was something along the lines of if you invested just $2,000 each year in...

Ballers Shines Light on the Financial Problems of NFL Players

Ballers Shines Light on the Financial Problems of NFL Players

Jun 24, 2015

HBO has a new series that debuted Sunday titled Ballers. In it Dwayne Johnson stars as fictional former NFL player Spencer Strassmore, and Rob Corddry plays Joe, the so-far-unlikeable financial advisor who has hired him to monetize his football friendships. If the the pilot is any indication, this show will...

The Downside of Dollar-Cost Averaging

The Downside of Dollar-Cost Averaging

Jun 9, 2015

A common strategy for brokers, financial advisors, and investment managers is the use of Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA). This is the practice of buying a set dollar amount of an investment or basket of investments at a pre-determined interval over a pre-determined length of time. So, for example, instead of buying...

Why Investing in Individual Bonds is a Bad Idea

Why Investing in Individual Bonds is a Bad Idea

Jun 2, 2015

There is a place for bonds in almost every portfolio. Even if you have an aggressive investment strategy that focuses exclusively on potential capital appreciation, a small allocation to bonds can noticeably reduce overall volatility in a portfolio without sacrificing much, if anything, in the way of returns over the...

Is Socially Responsible Investing Financially Responsible?

Is Socially Responsible Investing Financially Responsible?

May 26, 2015

Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) is an approach that looks beyond just financial returns when evaluating an investment, and also considers social, environmental, or other ethical concerns. It can mean vastly different things to different investors. If you are Catholic it might mean avoiding Johnson & Jonson (ticker: JNJ) because they...

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This website is operated and maintained by EmeraldSpark Investments, LLC. This website is for informational purposes only and EmeraldSpark reserves the right to modify its contents at any time. The content provided is limited to the dissemination of general information pertaining to our services as well as general investment-related information. It does not constitute investment advice or a solicitation to sell securities.

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