Rick Kahler's Financial Awakenings

Why do you think it’s important to have a financial planner? Business Week would like to know. They are looking for reader comments on the value of financial planning. They are especially looking for “thoughtful” comments from clients about the advantages of having a financial planner. They do not want specific endorsements or comments on your planner (for KFG clients that would be Rick). Instead, they are looking for general comments and experiences you would like to share. Continue Reading »

A new client recently asked me, “Rick, you’re one of four financial planners we interviewed. Why are you the only one who didn’t tell us we needed an annuity?” Actually, this couple had really interviewed only one financial planner and three annuity salespeople.

Annuities are the hottest financial product in the market place these days. I rarely use them. There are some good things about annuities, Continue Reading »

Jenny Goodell, Public Affairs Director for KYFR, interviewed Rick regarding things families can do to begin taking control of their finances and keeping unexpected expenses from busting the budget.

KYFR is based out of Shenandoah, Iowa, and broadcasts 24 hours a day on 5000 watts. Their signal goes to the four corners of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. Family Radio is heard in Omaha, Lincoln, Topeka and Kansas City as well as thousands of smaller, rural communities. Continue Reading »

In late December Congress passed the Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008 (WRERA) which, among other things, repealed the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) for IRA’s. This only affects the 2009 RMD! If you turned 70 1/2 in 2008, you will still need to take your RMD by April 1, 2009. If you turn 70 1/2 in 2009, you will not be required to take the RMD because it pertains to the 2009 tax year. The waiver will also apply to an inherited retirement account where the owner dies in 2009. Unfortunately, the RMD waiver does not apply to 72(t) recipients, those who are taking “early” withdrawals under the equal periodic payment rules. Continue Reading »

REITS, along with about everything else, crashed last year. Will they end up burning in 2009 or do they represent the buy of the century?

Peter Hardy, CFA, Vice President and Client Portfolio Manager for the American Century REIT fund, will be our guest speaker for our workshop and teleclass Thursday, February 12th, 2009, at 4:00pm MDT. He will be speaking to us about the current economics affecting real estate investment trusts (REITS). Continue Reading »

One of my clients was blessed early in 2008 with two new grandchildren. As he had done for his previous three grandkids, he opened 529 college savings accounts for the two newest family members, with initial deposits of $500.

At the end of the year each new account was valued at $336.36. He told me, “They would have been better off if I had bought them each a piggy bank and put five hundred-dollar bills in it.” He was right, at least for this year.

Each January, this man adds $500 to each grandchild’s 529 account. This year, he’s hesitating to send in the new deposits. He can’t help but wonder if it would be wiser, just this once, to put the money into CD’s at his local credit union instead. True, the return isn’t much—only three percent—but at least it would be a gain instead of a loss. He’s questioning whether it might be a good idea to get that three percent gain, and then put the money back into the 529 plans a year from now. By then, he hopes, the accounts will have started to recover. Continue Reading »

There was standing room only (Rick had to stand!) for the presentation to KFG clients by Stephanie H. Giroux, CFA, on the state of the economy. Stephanie is the Chief Investment Strategist for TD Ameritrade. During Stephanie’s 45-minute presentation she discussed the current economic recession. Among the topics she covered was a discussion of the probability of whether this recession will become a depression, how long the recession may last, what effect the stimulus package may have, and what investors need to be considering today in their portfolios.

KFG clients can listen to the teleclass by clicking here and going to the KFG Client Only section of our website. Use your password to log in, then search under “Teleclass”. If you do not have a password or are having trouble with your current password, e-mail Lindsay (lindsay@kahlerfinancial.com) and she will assist you.

I would like to invite KFG clients and readers of this blog to participate in a very special Healing Money Issues program at the Onsite campus, located near Nashville, TN, on April 17-22, 2009.

The Wall Street Journal referred to this scientifically researched workshop as “an innovative effort that combines Experiential Therapy with nuts and bolts financial planning.”

After many published articles and features ranging from The New York Times to ABC’s “Good Morning America,” the producers of ABC’s award winning “20/20” reached out to us about capturing elements of a Healing Money Issues 5 ½ day workshop experience for 8-10 participants this spring. One of our goals in partnering with ABC on this matter is to use their resources to help bring a message of personal insight, hope, and healing to the world in this time of financial turmoil.

Continue Reading »

The Chileans are perplexed with us. On a recent visit to Santiago, Chile, I was talking with a colleague who said, “You were the ones that taught us about the free markets, and now here you are abandoning those principles and moving toward socialism.”

He has a point. I get the growing sense that we are witnessing the transition of our economy from a “market economy” to a “political economy.”

While I’ve been pleased with President Obama’s cabinet selections to date, his January 9 speech at George Mason University was unsettling. Continue Reading »

We are pleased to announce that Stephanie H. Giroux, CFA, the Chief Investment Strategist for TD Ameritrade, will be our featured speaker at our economic update workshop! The workshop will be this Thursday at 3 PM, Mountain time. You can attend in person (hurry, space is very limited) or by phone.

As Chief Investment Strategist, Stephanie Giroux is responsible for developing and communicating an array of investment strategies and solutions to meet the broad-based needs of TD AMERITRADE’s long-term investor, active trader and independent registered investment advisor clients. She directs the Company’s Investment Strategy & Research Group, which serves as a critical information resource that focuses primarily on the markets and the economy. Through a dual appointment, she is also a Vice President of Amerivest Investment Management, LLC, an affiliated registered investment advisor, which provides a variety of financial planning and advisory services to clients. Continue Reading »