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Heritage clients experienced strong investment returns in 2016. While global stocks increased by 7.86% , our equity allocation increased by 14.75%. This exceptional performance in stocks more than offset the subdued year for Heritage’s alternatives allocation, which ended the year down 1.68%. Heritage’s short-term and yield-oriented positioning in bonds paid off in 2016. Our bond… More >

Investors and the media alike are expected to focus on interest-rate increases and proposed changes to income and estate taxes as key discussions going into 2017. While both topics will present new challenges or opportunities in personal finance, there are perhaps more unknowns at this time than there are objective criteria one could use to… More >

Financial Planning magazine listed Heritage Financial among their RIA Leaders in the country for 2017. This is the second consecutive year for Heritage to be named within this coveted list. According to Discovery Data, the firm behind the research for the list, the rankings are based on discretionary and nondiscretionary assets under management listed on… More >

Tax-loss selling is a common tax planning strategy. Harvesting a loss generates current tax savings. Even if a position that is harvested for a loss is then later sold at a gain, there is an opportunity for tax deferral in the meantime, which can create a modest economic benefit. A loss now produces additional dollars… More >

Earlier this year, Russell Investments put out a piece attempting to calculate a financial advisor’s value. It’s an important topic given many people’s need for wealth management advice, and the reassurance they require that they are not paying too much for it. The paper is geared toward financial advisors, so this is a short post… More >

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced on November 23rd that the maximum conforming loan limit for 2017 will be $424,100. Conforming loan limit is the maximum amount of money that buyers can borrow in a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac backed loan for a one-unit property. For most single-family home buyers, the current limit… More >

Maximize contributions to your retirement savings plans There are still a few weeks left in the year to adjust payroll deductions (or year-end bonuses) to contribute more to a 401(k), 403(b) or other tax-deferred savings plan. This could be especially valuable if your employer matches contributions. If you are self-employed, consider opening a solo-401(k) or… More >

Social Security benefits may increase each year based on inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). These cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) help retirees keep up with the rising cost of goods and services. Each October, the Social Security Administration announces the amount monthly benefits will increase starting the following January. If the rate of inflation… More >

In our last Market and Investment Review we demonstrated how a long-term investor, who sticks to his or her plan, and doesn’t get worked up by the financial media, tends to enjoy a superior investment experience. As we approach a once-in-four-year event—the election of a U.S. president—emotions tend to pique. We understand important questions are… More >

Interest rates are (finally) increasing. Now what? The long-awaited interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve was finally announced in December. The Fed stated that it would raise rates by a quarter of a percentage point, the first increase since June 2006. The Fed’s statement emphasized that the state of the economy is not putting… More >