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Humorist Dave Barry entertained millions of readers with his nationally syndicated column from 1983 to 2004. Along the way, he earned a Pulitzer Prize for commentary, inspired a television series (Dave's World), and even, after mocking the cities of Grand Forks, South Dakota and East Grand Forks, Minnesota, earned the honor of having a sewage pumping station named after him.

Spring is here, and golfers across the country are busting out their loudest pants to hit the links. Tiger Woods is taking a break from chasing pancake-house waitresses to shank wedges into water hazards. Phil Mickelson, everyone's favorite lefty champ, is struggling with a different sort of hazard right now . . .

Experienced investors know what makes a portfolio work. The keys to success are contained in a few timeless concepts that, if followed religiously, will lead to the best outcome. These five “reminders” will help you focus on the big picture and avoid the noise.

Every year, business reporters look forward to listing the country's highest-paid CEOs. Corporate chiefs have always done well for themselves — in 1980, the average S&P 500 head earned 42 times more than the average worker.

Even before your children can count, they already know something about money: it's what you have to give the ice cream man to get a cone, or put in the slot to ride the rocket ship at the grocery store. So, as soon as your children begin to handle money, start teaching them how to handle it wisely.

Making allowances

There are several strategies for moving money into tax-free accounts, however, that may not always be the best choice for you.  Having blended retirement accounts make sense when trying to minimize taxes and maximize sustainability.

How to Get Money Into a Tax-Free Account

There are three ways to get money into a tax-free, or ROTH IRA account.

^{Created by Gregory M. Desmond, CPA/PFS, CFP®}

There are a lot of numbers and letters thrown around at tax time.  You have probably come to know some of the most common, like W-2 and 1098.  This year, one form and its number-letter combinations – will be talked about frequently.  That is because nearly everyone will be required to have a version of Form 1095.  Here are the basics.

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Global markets are providing investors a rough ride at the moment, as the focus turns to China’s economic outlook. But while falling markets can be worrisome, maintaining a longer‑term perspective makes the volatility easier to handle.

An emergency fund is an essential element in every person’s financial health. Even seemingly wealthy people with high incomes can be living paycheck to paycheck with almost no ability to absorb unexpected expenses.

The S&P 500 Index dropped 19% in the Summer of 2011, the most recent instance of a market correction of 15% or more. You may remember it.