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What is a fiduciary?

Welcome to the second episode of Mark’s Minute. In this episode, we discuss what it means to be a fiduciary and the importance of acting in your best interest when it comes to financial planning.

Using Appreciated Assets to Achieve Charitable Goals While Rebalancing Your Portfolio

Many individuals own stock with an extremely low basis, the sale of which would result in significant capital gains. This is often the case for individuals who spend a significant portion of their career with one company and acquired stock during their employment or who inherit a portfolio that is not actively managed and accrues […]

Introduction to Westfield Financial Planning

Welcome to the first publication of Mark’s Minute! This episode will provide a brief introduction to the team of Westfield Financial Planning and will discuss financial planning “hot topics” in future episodes.

Funding Your Retirement: Some IRA Choices to Consider

It’s extremely important that we all take our retirement into our own hands. The concept of not preparing and relying on a government-sponsored retirement is not the best plan. Financial woes combined with the fact that the U.S. population is continuing to age, means that there are fewer working-aged people remaining to contribute to our […]

Helpful Information for Filing 2018 Income Taxes

Tax planning should always be a key focus when reviewing your personal financial situation. One of our goals as financial professionals is to point out as many tax savings opportunities and strategies as possible for our clients. Tax Law Updates: For 2018, the form 1040 has been completely redesigned. Form 1040, which many taxpayers can […]

The Myth of Steady Retirement Spending, and Why Reality May Cost Less

The Four Percent Rule helps retirees guesstimate their portfolio withdrawal rate. It seeks to provide a steady stream of funds to a retiree. It is a rough rule of thumb for a ‘safe’ rate for the withdrawals. The attached article, written by Peter Finch, gives a different perspective on the Four Percent Rule and how […]

Mark’s Musings February 2018

“In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine.” ― Benjamin Graham My translation is that in the short run, the market measures popularity but in the long run the market measure financial success. Mr. Graham is widely considered the father of modern value […]

Should You Buy a Bitcoin? Ask a Different Question First.

Here’s an article from The New York Times that I thought you’d find interesting. It is written by Carl Richards, one of my favorites. Before chasing Bitcoin or some other shiny thing, ask yourself this first: What are my financial goals? And does speculating fit within those goals? Excerpt: ” Investing is different from speculating or […]

Mark has been recognized as a Five Star Professional Wealth Manager for the 5th year!

In conjunction with New Jersey Monthly, Five Star Professional has recognized Mark Swingle with the 2018 Five Star Wealth Manager award. We are very proud that Mark has been awarded this distinction for five years. Mark is one of only 80 New Jersey wealth managers to receive the Five Star Wealth Manager award for five […]