Taxes are an inevitable part of life for most of us. It is also something that you do not want to mess with as the government is very unforgiving where unpaid taxes are concerned. It is important to understand your tax burden as your investment portfolio grows. While retirement funds in IRAs and 401ks areContinue reading “IRS Tax Withholding Estimator”
Author Archives: Johnathan Fontenot
Never Try to Time the Market
Yesterday, 13 February, was a good example of why small investors should never try to time the market. You simply are not on the same footing of the big money players on Wall Street that can have big impacts on the market. Yesterday, the S&P 500 dropped approximately 100 points at its low of theContinue reading “Never Try to Time the Market”
A New Way to Think of a Purchase
I just watched a video on Youtube from the Erin Talks Money channel that I wanted to highlight. She brought up an alternative way that new investors should think about purchases. Overall, it is about focusing on the potential tradeoff between a purchase made today versus what that money, if invested instead, could turn intoContinue reading “A New Way to Think of a Purchase”
Earnings per Share (EPS) as a Tool
When you are new to investing or trying to do a quick evaluation of a stock that you are not really familiar with looking at the companies Earnings per Share (EPS) is good to review. Bluntly, it will tell you right away if the company is making money or not. Investopedia defines EPS as theContinue reading “Earnings per Share (EPS) as a Tool”
Simple and Quick Mutual Fund Evaluator
There are thousands of available mutual funds for investors. It can be overwhelming trying to find the best ones for us. Here are my tips that I’ve learned over the years to keep it simple. First, the number of available funds will be cut down significantly if you have a job due to what isContinue reading “Simple and Quick Mutual Fund Evaluator”
Don’t Give Away a Chunk of Your Tax Refund!
Tax paperwork in the U.S. appears complex on the surface. However, it is actually pretty straightforward if you don’t have complex financial arrangements. Most people who have a job working for someone else and receive just 1-2 W2s can do their own taxes. Don’t give a big portion of your refund away letting someone elseContinue reading “Don’t Give Away a Chunk of Your Tax Refund!”
Fight for a Good Credit Score
Having a good credit score is something worth fighting for. And, while there are different scoring companies which means you can have more than one credit score, you know at a base level if your score is good or bad. The easiest way to tell is if you pay your bills on time and payContinue reading “Fight for a Good Credit Score”
Price to Earnings Ratio as a Tool
When you are new to stock investing it is very difficult to keep from being overwhelmed with data. There are so many different ratios and measures presented to you, which is good, but can also be very confusing. The bottom line is that all of it can be very useful and important depending on howContinue reading “Price to Earnings Ratio as a Tool”
Market at Record High! Time to Sell?
The DOW and S&P 500 are at record high levels right now. If we are attempting to always “Buy low and Sell high”, right now is a definitive moment when we should consider locking in gains on certain investments. Which investments should we consider selling? Look at those investments that have run up rapidly, orContinue reading “Market at Record High! Time to Sell?”
Pay Attention to Your Investments
As a small investor you should always be focused on the long-term. You should work on developing your patience and discipline so that you are not panicking at every bit of bad news that comes out and therefore making emotional decisions that are probably going to hurt you more than help you. Rather, trust thatContinue reading “Pay Attention to Your Investments”
Patient and Disciplined Saving 