Brokered Certificates of Deposit: Pros and Cons
Brokered Certificates of Deposit are an excellent product. But they are more complicated than their bank-issued counterparts. You can purchase brokered CDs through many major investment firms. They often settle same day, although sometimes settlement can be several days in the future. There is typically a selection of banks offering CDs for sale, and that …
Never Regret Making a Profit
It is easy to agonize over the sale of a stock with a big capital gain in it, because it could always go higher. But selling at a profit is never a bad thing. All it takes to destroy your gain is a few bad news reports. That can happen with no warning and research …
The Pitfalls of Transferring Your Account
There is a little more to transferring a brokerage account than you might think. On the surface it is an easy process. Something called ACATS (Automated Customer Account Transfer System) allows you to move from one firm to another simply by signing authorization forms. It might take two or three days for the paperwork to process …
Never Buy Based on a Star Money Manager
Buying a fund due to the celebrity reputation of its manager is not a good idea. When I worked for a large brokerage internal wholesalers visited our office. Their job was to convince us to put our clients into house mutual funds. They would weave colorful stories about managers’ experience and track record. It made …
Insurance Contracts are Not Forever
Do not be lulled into the notion that insurance contracts are sacred. There was a time when I believed this to be true. The word insurance brought to mind phrases like “safe” or “locked in.” Experience has shown, however, that significant risks exist. Insurance companies can make unilateral changes to a contract. Two of my …