Have you worked in an "open-office" layout? What are the advantages as compared to disadvantages? Do the disadvantages win? A new study shows some results you might not expect.
|
 "House of Cards" is once again a monster hit for Netflix. What are the implications for HBO and Showtime where you can't "binge watch" at your leisure? Is the Netflix business model really sound?
|
How a 3D printer saved a boy's life. Scientists and doctors are teaming up all around the world to print organs, layer by layer, with 3D printing technologies. The world of bioprinting is rapidly changing how we think about healthcare and healing.
|
Several thousand miles off the coast of Baja California, about halfway to Hawaii, white sharks congregate in a huge area of the ocean affectionately named the White Shark Cafe. Scientists know much about what's happening above the surface of the water, but due to a lack of sensory equipment, they know comparatively little about what's going on below. This is where drones come in. Autonomous craft are helping solve the mystery of the great shark congregation.
|
 A Los Angeles woman is suing Sprint Corp., contending that one of its workers browsed through her trade-in phone, found photographs of her engaged in sex and posted them on her Facebook page. She had forgotten that two intimate photos were among more than 5,000 on her old phone.
|
 For the first time in more than 20 years, the FDA is proposing big changes to packaged food and drink labels, requiring calories and more realistic portion sizes to be in large, bold print, as well as a bigger emphasis on added sugars.
|
You may be surprised at the reason Millennials aren't building wealth as fast as they should. Among all age groups, Millennials are the most likely to say that it's "a little or not at all informed" about retirement planning. That finding itself isn't so startling, but a comparison to other age groups is.
|
Is fear making you too conservative? How can you avoid bad spending decisions based on fear and cognitive decline? A recent article by Michael Finke, co-author of "Cognitive Ability and Post-Retirement Asset Decumulation" may provide some useful insights.
|
Are you a fan of the 70s? The decade saw the birth of many of our favorite things. Celebrate the era of disco with these triumphs and one of its greatest inventions in particular.
|
If you've been working on your income tax forms and are expecting a refund, what will you do with the money? Here are ten useful suggestions on how to wisely spend your windfall.
|
|
 |
|
 I was surprised by my attitude in dealing with a difficult situation caused by an accident when it brought about some thoughts about investment opportunities. In our video this month I use some insights gained by a broken wrist to advise you on dealing with uncertainty in your investments.
If you'd like more information on the topics brought up in the in the video, feel free to contact us by phone at 614-888-2121 (toll-free, 879-382-2121) or e-mail at chornyak@chornyak.com.
I think our newsletter for March is packed with good ideas, tactics, and interesting stories on what's going on in our world. I hope you'll enjoy it.
Sincerely,
Joe
|
|
A lesson in being patient
|
Joe Chornyak uses a recent personal experience with being patient to illustrate a basic financial investment strategy. Markets today are volatile and more than likely always will be, but being patient and riding through the storm will always pay off in the long run. After the 2008 economic downturn markets eventually rebounded and hit record highs. Every market correction is different, and patience eventually pays off.
Click here or on the image above to view the video.
|
|
A safety reminder: protecting yourself from data security breaches
|
Commonwealth Financial Network reminds us that one of the biggest themes of the past year has been the scary truth that our personal information may not be as secure as we think it is. Yet, despite the recent spate of data breaches, many consumers aren't doing enough to protect themselves.
Certainly, companies and banks bear a great deal of responsibility for safeguarding their customers' information, but there's plenty that individual consumers can do, too.
Stay vigilant, every day
By monitoring your accounts regularly, you can respond quickly if hackers attempt to use your information. Here are some best practices:
- Keep a close eye on your credit card statements. Be on the lookout for suspicious charges, and note any other account changes you didn't make.
- Pay attention to "last logged in" info. During each online banking session, check the website's "last logged in" section to make sure you're the only one accessing your account.
- Sign up for electronic alerts. More credit card companies are beginning to offer this service, sending customers a text or e-mail when a suspicious transaction is made on their account.
- Consider a credit monitoring service. Credit monitoring typically costs just $10-$15 per month, but the extra security it offers may be well worth the additional expense. For those affected by Target's data breach, the company is offering a full year of free credit monitoring.
Adopt safe shopping habits
Whether you're shopping online or in a store, these are good practices to follow:
- Use cash more. It's simple mathematics. The fewer times you use a credit or debit card, the fewer chances a hacker has to capture your personal information.
- Change your passwords regularly. Be sure to periodically update your passwords on retail sites and other websites that store your personal information. And don't use the same password for every site! A tool like LastPass may be a good alternative to remembering dozens of complex passwords.
- Think twice before giving out personal information. Though it may be required when shopping online, you don't have to supply personal information when asked by a store clerk. Declining to provide your phone number and other details will limit the amount of information about you in the company's database.
Remember the basics
You've probably heard these tips before, but they remain essential to keeping your personal information safe.
- Be e-mail savvy. When it comes to e-mail, here are some pointers to keep in mind:
- Be wary of links in e-mails that appear to be from your bank. Instead, go directly to the bank's website and follow the instructions there.
- Never provide personal details over e-mail, including user IDs and passwords, credit or debit card information, and so on.
- Never open, run, or install programs or files you receive from an unknown source or even unsolicited requests from people you know. Delete suspicious e-mails from your inbox, and then delete them from your deleted items folder.
- Always log out before leaving an online banking session or a website that stores your personal information.
- Enable two-factor authentication on your e-mail and social media accounts.
- Update your antivirus software. Be sure that the antivirus protection on your computer and other devices is current. Remember, you tend to get what you pay for with free antivirus software.
- Shred it! Last but not least, shred old documents that include personal information such as account numbers.
Spread the word!
Although none of these measures guarantees success, following the guidelines here can only help you safeguard your accounts and your identity. As always, we encourage you to share this article with your family and friends. As data breaches become increasingly common, awareness is a crucial factor in thwarting hackers and protecting your personal information.
Read the original article here.
|
|
Barron's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors
|
We are pleased and honored to be included among the top 1,200 financial advisors in the United States by Barron's magazine. As stated in the February 24, 2014 issue, "This is a group worth listening to. Barron's Top 1,200 Advisors represent the cream of the crop from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia."
Criteria used to establish the exclusive list include assets under management, revenues generated by advisors for their firms, and quality of practices. Barron's editors examine regulatory records, internal company documents, and extensive questionnaires filled out by the advisors themselves.
It is our clients who make these honors possible, so we owe a debt of gratitude to you who stand with us year after year. We will continue to deliver the excellence of advice and service that you have grown to expect.
|
|
Should you switch cell phone carriers?
|
 Cameron Huddleston of Kiplinger says the answer depends on the number of lines you have, the amount of data you want and the coverage area you need.
It seems that cell-phone service providers are particularly eager to get your business given the abundance of incentives they're currently offering to consumers who switch carriers. Consider some of the tempting offers from major wireless players AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon. AT&T is offering a $100 bill credit for every wireless line you add with the company by March 31. And it's lowered its monthly rates on no-contract smart phone plans -- likely to lure customers who already own phones and are coming out of two-year contracts with other carrier (and to discourage its current customers from defecting). Sprint is giving away a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 to customers who sign up for its new "Framily" plan, a mash-up of the words friends and family that lowers your monthly rate as you add more lines. It also is offering $100 savings on select phones if you switch to Sprint. T-Mobile will pay your early termination fees if you leave another carrier before your contract is up and switch to T-Mobile. And Verizon is offering a gift card worth at least $100, but up to $300, when you trade in a smart phone and activate a new one. So with all these special offers wireless carriers are dangling, should you switch and snatch up these deals while you can? To help you decide, here's more in-depth examination of these offers and a rundown of the rates these carriers typically charge. The carrier and plan that's best for you will depend on the number of lines you have, the amount of data you want and the coverage area you need. AT&T To take advantage of the $100 bill credit, you don't have to sign a two-year contract if you add a line with the company for a phone you already own. However, you must maintain service with AT&T for 45 days to receive the credit, which will post to your bill within three billing cycles. If you switch to AT&T from T-Mobile, you'll get a $200 credit, according to an AT&T customer service representative. AT&T also lowered its monthly service fee February 2 for smart phone customers without a contract. If you sign up for a two-year contract (to take advantage of a free phone offer), you'll pay $40 a month for unlimited talk and text service and an additional $20 to $275 depending on the amount of data you want for Internet access, e-mail, video and music streaming. Without a contract, you'll pay $25 a month for wireless service if you get 8 GB of data or less, or just $15 a month if you choose to have 10 GB of data or more. So the monthly rate (not including taxes) for no-contract wireless service with a 10 GB data plan would be $115, versus $140 for the same plan for a smart phone with a two-year agreement. For each no-contract line you add, it's an additional $15 or $25 a month, depending on your data plan. AT&T provides 4G coverage in all 50 states, according to its service map. However, its coverage is limited in a few of the Midwestern and Western states. Sprint To receive the free Galaxy Tab 3, you have to sign up by February 27 for the "Framily" plan in a Sprint store and commit to a two-year service agreement. To get the lowest rate under the plan -- $25 for unlimited talk, text and 1 GB of data -- you have to have seven to ten lines. You're not limited to family members, though, to take advantage of the plan. You can invite friends to join, and they'll get separate bills. To get more data, you'll pay $10 per line per month for 3GB or $20 per line per month for unlimited data. The monthly service rate is significantly higher if you have fewer lines. For example, if you had just two lines and unlimited data, you would pay $100 ($50 per line) plus $40 for data ($20 per line) -- bringing the monthly total to $140, which is the same as you would pay for two no-contract lines and 10GB of data with AT&T. Sprint's 4G coverage isn't nearly as widespread as AT&T's or Verizon's -- especially in the West. T-Mobile If you have a contract with a wireless carrier, you could pay as much as $350 to break it. To get you to switch to its lower-cost plans, T-Mobile will reimburse your termination fees -- up to $350 per line. You must send your final bill from your former carrier showing the fee, then you will receive a prepaid MasterCard within eight weeks from T-Mobile covering the fee amount. And if you trade in your old smart phone for a new one, T-Mobile will give you a credit of up to $300 to apply to a new phone. Individuals pay $50 a month for unlimited talk, text and 500 MB of data; $60 for 2.5 GB of data; or $70 for unlimited data. You'll pay an extra $30 for a second line, and $10 for each additional line. So for two lines and unlimited data, you'll pay $100 a month. There's no contract with the T-Mobile Simple Choice Plan, so there are no early termination fees. T-Mobile also doesn't charge fees for using more than your allocated data. Instead, it slows your data speed from 4G to 2G once you've used your monthly data allotment. With 4G coverage in 41 states and just a few cities in some of those states, T-Mobile's coverage area is more limited than AT&T's and Verizon's. Verizon. To qualify for the $100 Verizon gift card, you must trade in an old smart phone for a new 4G LTE smart phone and commit to a two-year contract. Depending on the value of the phone you trade in, you may qualify for a gift card worth up to $300, which can be used to buy Verizon wireless products or to pay your bill. Verizon also is waiving its $35 activation fee for a limited time. Verizon Verizon did have a limited-time offer of unlimited talk, text and 250 MB of data for $45 a month. But it just introduced a new "More Everything" plan, which claims that you get two times the data for the same low price. With the new plan, unlimited talk, text and 250 MB of data for a smart phone is now $55 a month. With each line you add, it's an additional $40 a month for talk and text, plus $15 to $375 for data. So two lines with 10GB of data would cost $180 a month -- $40 more than a similar AT&T or Sprint plan and $80 more than a similar T-Mobile plan. Verizon's 4G network covers all 50 states. It claims to have the largest 4G network, with coverage for 97% of Americans. Read the whole article here.
|
|
Investor360º makes filing easier for TurboTax users
|
If you're a user of either the web-based or desktop version of TurboTax, you can now import your tax information from Investor360.º With just a few short steps, all the key tax data you need is safely, accurately, and easily transferred directly into your electronic return.
To see how easily Investor360º works with TurboTax, click here.
|
|
This communication is strictly intended for individuals residing in the States of: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MS, MT, NC, NH, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV. No offers may be made or accepted from any resident outside these States due to various state requirements and registration requirements regarding investment products and services.
Securities and Advisory Services Offered Through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Fixed-insurance products and services offered by Chornyak & Associates, LTD are separate and unrelated to Commonwealth.
This informational e-mail is an advertisement. To opt out of receiving future messages, follow the "Unsubscribe" instructions below.
Disclosures: Certain sections of this commentary contain forward-looking statements that are based on our reasonable expectations, estimates, projections, and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. All indices are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment by the public. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The S&P 500 is based on the average performance of the 500 industrial stocks monitored by Standard & Poor's. The Nasdaq Composite Index measures the performance of all issues listed in the Nasdaq Stock Market, except for rights, warrants, units, and convertible debentures. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is computed by summing the prices of the stocks of 30 large companies and then dividing that total by an adjusted value, one which has been adjusted over the years to account for the effects of stock splits on the prices of the 30 companies. Dividends are reinvested to reflect the actual performance of the underlying securities. The MSCI EAFE Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization index designed to measure developed market equity performance, excluding the U.S. and Canada. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a market capitalization-weighted index composed of companies representative of the market structure of 26 emerging market countries in Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific Basin. The Russell 2000® Index measures the performance of the 2,000 smallest companies in the Russell 3000 Index. The Barclays Capital Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged market value-weighted performance benchmark for investment-grade fixed-rate debt issues, including government, corporate, asset-backed, and mortgage-backed securities with maturities of at least one year. The U.S. Treasury Index is based on the auctions of U.S. Treasury bills, or on the U.S. Treasury's daily yield curve. The Barclays Capital Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS) Index is an unmanaged market value-weighted index of 15- and 30-year fixed-rate securities backed by mortgage pools of the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA), Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), and balloon mortgages with fixed-rate coupons. The Barclays Capital Municipal Bond Index includes investment-grade, tax-exempt, and fixed-rate bonds with long-term maturities (greater than 2 years) selected from issues larger than $50 million. The Barclays Capital U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) Index measures the performance of intermediate (1- to 10-year) U.S. TIPS.
|
|
|
Markets heat up . . .
After a difficult January, financial markets rebounded in February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 4.34 percent, while the S&P 500 Index climbed 4.57 percent and the Nasdaq rose 3.15 percent. Both the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 are now in positive territory for the year, although the Dow is still down year-to-date.
Several factors drove the strong performance. Corporate earnings were somewhat stronger than expected at the end of the reporting period, with earnings growth rates up to 8.5 percent at the end of February, above the estimate of 6.3 percent at the end of last year, per FactSet (see chart). Eight of ten sectors reported higher-than-expected earnings growth because of some positive earnings surprises.
Sales volume was also better than expected, with almost two-thirds of companies beating expectations. Sales data is important because it reflects actual customer demand, and higher sales-growth rates help support the prospect of future earnings growth.
Technically, the markets started February with a decline that broke through both the 50- and 100-day moving averages, but they bounced off a support level at 1,750 and stayed above the key support level of the 200-day average. The current technical challenge is the 1,850 level for the S&P 500. Although the market broke through that figure on the last day of the month, it remains to be seen whether it will be sustained.
Developed international markets also performed well, with the MSCI EAFE Index up 5.56 percent, even more than the U.S. indices, while the MSCI Emerging Markets Index was up by less-3.19 percent. Developed markets are now up for the year, but emerging markets remain below where they started, which reflects both the recovery in Japan and Europe and the ongoing political turmoil in countries like Turkey and Brazil.
Fixed income also did reasonably well for the month, with the Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index up 0.53 percent, continuing a positive streak for the year. The gain was driven by bond yields. Interest rates were relatively stable in February, and the 10-year U.S. Treasury ended the month with a 2.65-percent yield. High-yield bonds returned a respectable 2.02 percent, according to the Barclays Capital U.S. Corporate High Yield Index, and emerging market bonds also staged a comeback. During the month, Janet Yellen, the new chairperson of the Federal Reserve (Fed), stated that she expected to hold the course on current policy, which provided stability in these markets.
. . Even as economy suffers from severe winter weather
The strength of financial markets stood in contrast to weak recent economic data. Concerns about employment, stoked by a weak December report, continued in January, as only 113,000 jobs were added. Just as with the previous report, though, other data appeared more optimistic. The unemployment rate dropped from 6.7 percent to 6.6 percent, and underemployment fell from 13.1 percent to 12.7 percent. Other areas of concern included weakening manufacturing data, slowing existing home sale volume, and a decline in retail sales.
The question raised by these weak data points is whether they can be explained by poor weather, or whether they point to a slowing of the recovery. So far, economists believe the evidence points mostly to the former-although there may be some of the latter. Indicators that the economy remains on track include strength in consumer confidence, a rise in consumer borrowing, a decline in foreclosures, and surprising strength in new home sales.
At the same time, there are signs that growth has slowed. The gain in the U.S. economy for the fourth quarter of 2013 was revised down at the end of February, from 3.2 percent to 2.3 percent. This negative revision was largely due to lower-than-estimated sales of durable goods, such as cars, as well as reduced exports. Last October's federal government shutdown also appears to have had a significant effect. Still, business investment-one of the missing pieces in the current recovery-was actually adjusted up, which is a positive sign for the future.
Global recovery continues but may be slowing
Economic reports for the rest of the world were mixed. Manufacturing and service PMI surveys indicated a mild slowing of the Chinese economy. Meanwhile, China's exports grew, which supported its economy at the potential risk of political conflict with trade partners such as the United States. China's currency, which is managed by the government, declined against the dollar toward the end of the month, suggesting that China's leaders may be actively trying to support exports. If this is so, it would be contrary to their stated policy and could suggest that they are concerned about economic output.
Europe continued to stabilize, with Germany showing signs of accelerating growth, even as France continued to struggle with government spending cuts. Smaller countries showed general signs of progress. Remaining issues within Europe include continued reductions in government spending, which may negatively impact growth and result in political challenges. Also, European companies need to deliver on the improvement in earnings that investors appear to be expecting.
As for Japan, Abenomics (named for the nation's current prime minister, Shinzo Abe) has been a helpful support behind risk asset prices. Easy monetary policy, fiscal stimulus, and a concerted effort to devalue the yen have boosted investor confidence. But we see a potential headwind coming in the form of consumption tax increases this spring.
Emerging markets appear to have stabilized from the immediate economic impact of the Fed's decision to taper asset purchases, but they continue to struggle to adjust. Currency fluctuations and rising interest rates have hurt trade and caused capital flight. This has disproportionately affected smaller open economies with weak current-account balances and in some cases has led to political confrontations.
Politics threaten markets
Even as economies stabilize and return to growth, politics remains a risk factor. Euroskeptic parties, for example, are increasingly competitive in many European countries and could make significant gains in European Parliament elections this year. These circumstances matter because the political uncertainty created could potentially derail the current fragile recovery. Similarly, major emerging markets, such as Turkey and Brazil, not to mention Venezuela and Argentina, continue to suffer political turmoil.
Most relevant of all, perhaps, is the sudden emergence of the crisis in Ukraine and the move by Russia into the Crimean peninsula. This reminds us that many areas of the world remain much more uncertain than the U.S., and investors have to be aware of that when investing abroad.
Enjoy the gains but don't be surprised by volatility
After a difficult January, the market recovery in February was a relief, and the fact that the S&P 500 hit a new high offered encouragement to investors. Still, the weak U.S. economic reports, along with events in Ukraine, highlight that risks remain in the system.
Although we expect the U.S. economy to continue to grow, recent weak data implies that this is by no means guaranteed. In Europe, the economy continues to mend, but politics could cause a rocky summer. China is trying to spin up its export machine to compensate for weakness in other areas, but this has the potential to spark trade disputes. In short, while markets have celebrated February's very real good news, substantial uncertainty remains.
Therefore, despite the results of this month, we believe it is important to maintain a disciplined investment process. Through good times and bad, this is the key to achieving investors' long-term goals.
Authored by Brad McMillan, vice president, chief investment officer, and Sean Fullerton, investment research analyst, at Commonwealth Financial Network.
|
|
|
|
