Tips for First-Time Homebuyers

Buying your first home is an exciting, chaotic process. However, you can make it a little easier by understanding some basic tips about saving, loans and buying. Preparing to Buy Before you jump into the search for your perfect house, you should make some preparations: Start saving early:In addition to the base costs of down payments and moving expenses, the path[...] Continue reading

When Does It Make Sense to Refinance Your Mortgage?

When interest rates drop, many people wonder if it's time for mortgage refinancing. You may be able to secure a better mortgage rate than the one you currently have. However, it doesn't always make sense to refinance. The upfront expense of paying for closing costs may nullify your savings over the first few years of the refinance. If you plan to sell your home during[...] Continue reading

Risk vs. Volatility

As an investor, you often hear news stations talking about "risk" and "volatility" when referring to the markets. In casual conversation, these terms may be used interchangeably, leading some investors to believe that they are the same thing. However, even though there is a correlation between risk and volatility, they are very different concepts, and investors should[...] Continue reading

What Is Diversification?

Diversification is a very important factor that is used to lower the risk inherent in a portfolio. There are many different types of diversification that can be utilized. Each method can be used by itself or alongside the other methods to limit risk and volatility and create more predictable returns. Diversification is a tradeoff. In exchange for steadier returns and a[...] Continue reading

Broker-Dealer vs. Registered Investment Advisor (RIA)

Written by: Bill Engel, CFP® | Senior Vice President What Is a Broker-Dealer? A broker-dealer (BD) is a firm that buys and sells securities for its own account on behalf of customers. BDs act on behalf of customers in their brokerage capacity by buying and selling securities for them. They act as a dealer when buying securities for their own account. BDs provide[...] Continue reading