Does Your Child Need to File an Income Tax Return? As parents, we encourage our children to work so they can learn important values about work and independence. At what point, if at all, do children need to file an income tax return for the money they earn? The IRS does not exempt anyone from […]

BIG CHANGES IN JUNE? May saw the price of oil creep back up above $50 per barrel. It didn’t stay there long, but it has settled into a groove just a dollar or two lower. Global supply issues prompted this price increase. Nigeria, the largest producer in Africa, is dealing with rebel activity in the […]

Measuring the Value of a Financial Advisor What’s the value of a financial advisor? Two studies found that working with a financial professional can result in higher returns and potentially lower personal stress. Lower Stress Seventy-six percent of people within 15 years of retirement are stressed when thinking about retirement savings and investments.¹ Working with […]

WAITING ON CENTRAL BANKS? Commodity prices firmed up in April and gave investors another boost of confidence. Stronger commodity prices indicate increased demand, which is a positive sign for both developed and emerging economies. In particular, the price of oil found some support at more than $40 per barrel. Even as the number of active […]

GAINING MOMENTUM? Around the globe, March was a politically volatile month: the US is in the midst of a particularly nasty primary season, China continues to reform its economy, Europe struggled with terrorist attacks, and the Syrian crisis continues. In spite of all those troubles, the markets found some momentum and investors seemed to relax. […]

Four Really Good Reasons to Invest Over half of Americans do not own any stocks, or stock-related investments, such as mutual funds, according to Bankrate’s Money Pulse survey.¹ Individuals may cite different reasons for not investing, but with important long-term financial goals, such as retirement, in the balance, the reasons may not be good enough. […]

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?? Back in January, investors grew more worried that global growth was slowing and that the global economy’s two main engines, the United States and China, were inching toward recession. China continues to struggle through a period of economic reform, February was another nervous ride for investors. Meanwhile, economic indicators are […]

Insurance Needs Assessment: For Empty Nesters and Retirees With the children now out of the house, financial priorities become more focused on preparing for retirement. At this stage, you may very likely be at the height of your earning power and fast approaching peak savings as you lay the groundwork for retirement. During this final […]

Richard Zeitz of Bravias Financial was recently featured on TheStreet.com regarding managing retirement risk in “5 Items That Must Be On Your Retirement Planning Checklist for 2016.” When it comes to saving for retirement, some financial advisers find that investors don’t truly understand or address risk inside a portfolio. Most think that  the way to reduce […]

GROWING PAINS? Investors should be happy to put January behind them. The New Year opened with the worst first week that global markets have seen in more than 20 years and the S&P 500 suffered its worst first week ever. The turmoil of that first week can be traced back to China, which continued to […]