What Investors Need To Know About The Presidential Election

American Investment Planners LLC

500 North Broadway, Suite 260, Jericho, NY 11753

(516) 932-5130 / (866) 932-5130

If there's one thing that has constantly been in the news lately, it's the 2016 presidential candidates and the initiatives they're taking to become the 45th President of the United States. While we should all have some knowledge about each, a particular group of people who should be well informed are investors, as many often fear that the election will have a largely felt impact on different aspects of their financial lives. As the race for the white house continues, here are two things that we feel are important for investors to know:

1. Although investment philosophies may play a role in who you vote for, it's important to keep your investing and voting decisions separate if you can. Ultimately, as long as there are well-run companies out there creating value for investors, it won't make too much difference who gets elected in 2016.
2. Contrary to popular belief, there isn't evidence that shows that investors do better when one party is elected over the other. In fact, the markets have had both good and bad times with both Republican and Democratic presidents, and those investors that tend to succeed are those who are in it for the long run - not those that only put their investments to work when a certain party is in office.

At the end of the day, the best thing you can do for yourself as an investor is to have a strategic financial plan in place to guide you under a number of circumstances. Here at American Investment Planners LLC, we can put that together for you! We work closely with each of our clients to learn about their short and long term goals, investment philosophy, and current personal circumstances so that we can develop a portfolio that exceeds any investing expectations they set.

To learn more about the financial planning services we offer, or to get started with a member of our team, please give us a call at (516) 932-5130 today.

Our Favorite Quotes About Investing

American Investment Planners LLC

500 North Broadway, Suite 260, Jericho, NY 11753

(516) 932-5130 / (866) 932-5130

Investing - a topic that we talk about, learn about, and help others with each and every day. As a team of professionals who does a ton of research and reading on the financial planning industry and investing specifically, we've come across our fair share of investing quotes that we find extremely inspiring; today, we'd like to share them with you:

"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." - Benjamin Franklin

"In investing, what is comfortable is rarely profitable." - Robert Arnott

"Know what you own, and know why you own it." - Peter Lynch

"It's not how much money you make, but how much you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for." - Robert Kiyosaki

"The individual investor should act consistently as an investor and not as a speculator." - Ben Graham

"Risk comes from not knowing what you're doing." - Warren Buffett

"Investing is the intersection of economics and psychology." - Seth Klarman

"All intelligent investing is value investing - acquiring more that you are paying for. You must value the business in order to value the stock." - Charlie Munger

"The four most dangerous words in investing are: 'this time it's different.'" - Sir John Templeton

Do you have a favorite quote about investing or financial planning? If so, be sure to share it with us!

At American Investment Planners LLC, our goal is to help our clients achieve financial security and build a legacy that they can pass on. If you have yet to work with a financial planner and have questions about investing and other financial planning topics, please give us a call at (516) 932-5130 to learn how our products and services can be of help to you.

Financial Topics New Homeowners Must Consider

American Investment Planners LLC

500 North Broadway, Suite 260, Jericho, NY 11753

(516) 932-5130 / (866) 932-5130

Before buying a new home, one of the biggest concerns and deciding factors for homeowners is likely the cost - what type of down payment is required? How will interest rates affect the mortgage in the years to come? Though these are pressing questions that must be considered before making any deals and receiving the keys, there are several other financial topics that need to be addressed, even though they may not be the first thing that comes to mind during the buying and selling process.

If part of your plans for 2015 include becoming a first time homeowner, we want your experience to be a smooth one. That's why we've put together the following list of things all new homeowners must take into consideration as they get ready to buy a home:

Paperwork: Like most other large purchases, buying a home requires lots of paperwork to be filled out. However, in this case, there are often fees attached for doing so. For example, while you might be prepared to pay for your mortgage each month, you must also be prepared to pay for any fees that come with applying for the mortgage. Additionally, the act of processing papers for the sale of the home, including documents such as deeds and titles, also requires costs and must be accounted for when budgeting.

Improvements: As you tour potential homes to determine which is right for you, it's likely that there will be bits and pieces of each that you want to tweak in order to give your home the personality and style you always hoped it would have. But, though they may be minor, it's important to realize that even small improvements here and there will start to add up. When working on budget, it's essential that all new homeowners factor in the potential for improvements, including those that may come as a surprise during the home inspection or shortly after moving in.

Inspections: Speaking of improvements and more specifically, the home inspection, keep in mind that having an inspector come to the home is an added cost as well. Although everything might look safe and secure in your eyes, there may be serious damage elsewhere that only a professional can detect. Since the inspection is such an important part of the process, and ultimately the part that determines whether or not the home is move in ready (or livable for that matter), a good portion of your initial budget should be dedicated to it.

In addition to the above, you must also always expect the unexpected and make room for hidden or last minute costs - when it comes to buying a home, anything is possible!

At American Investment Planners LLC, we know what an expense a home is, and we also know what an investment it is! Which brings us to our next point - did you know that we specialize in all types of financial planning to help clients protect their assets and investments? For more information about our wide variety of financial planning services, please visit us at www.americaninvestmentplanners.com or give us a call at (516) 932-5130 today.

Meet Brian Amato: Senior Investment Advisor

American Investment Planners LLC

500 North Broadway, Suite 260, Jericho, NY 11753

(516) 932-5130 / (866) 932-5130

At American Investment Planners LLC, we work as a cohesive unit to develop and deliver the most beneficial solutions to each of our clients. We pride ourselves on the fact that our firm is built on a group effort, and since it is so, we invite you to become a part of our team by getting to know each of our experts individually. Today, we would like to feature Brian Amato, Senior Investment Advisor!

Brian's financial planning career first began in 1999 when he started working for Morgan Stanley. Just one year later, he joined our firm and quickly discovered the difference between big firms and independent firms like ourselves; that's when he realized that we offered an environment that he could thrive in for years to come!

As Brian puts it, "the first thing I really appreciated was the wide variety of investment products I could choose from. I was able to choose what best fit the client's needs instead of being restricted to proprietary offerings."

Since becoming a member of the American Investment Planners LLC team, Brian has made it a priority (and has certainly succeeded at that) to get to know each of his clients on a personal level in order to develop the right financial plans and strategies; "I always inquire about children, special needs, anything that will impact their financial goals and mostly their financial security," explains Brian.

Now that you know a little bit about Brian's professional background, let's take a look at some of his hobbies and interests! In his free time, Brian is passionate about boating and is even a U.S Coast Guard certified captain! Additionally, he truly loves dogs and animals and has been involved with the Last Hope Animal Rescue for many years. When he is not navigating the seas or dedicating his time to the animal rescue, Brian can be found in Fort Salonga, where he lives with his wife Melissa and their 19 month old daughter; he is also expecting his second child in July!

From all us at American Investment Planners LLC, we would like to thank Brian for all of his hard work and constant dedication to our team. His efforts certainly do not go unnoticed and we are so thankful to have him!

For more information on Brian Amato, check out his employee bio on our website!

Bonds Broken Down - Different Types Of Bonds

American Investment Planners LLC

500 North Broadway, Suite 260, Jericho, NY 11753

(516) 932-5130 / (866) 932-5130

Savings bonds, corporate bonds, municipal bonds - the list of available bonds goes on and on. But what do they all mean? Let's first take a step back and determine what a bond, plain and simple, is. By definition, bonds are evidence of a debt where the issuer promises to pay the bondholder a specific amount of interest and to repay the principal at maturity. Typically issued in multiples of $1,000, they are issued by federal, state and local governments and are available in three basic types. Here is where we'll get more specific:

Treasury Bonds
Issued by the U.S Department of the Treasury through the Bureau of Public Debt, treasuries are known to be the highest-quality securities out there. Available in the form of treasury bills, treasury notes, treasury bonds and treasury inflation-protected securities, these are traded on the secondary market and are used to fund the Federal government's operations. In terms of advantages, one of the most notable benefits of this type of bond is that any interest is exempt from state and local taxes.

Municipal Bonds
Municipal bonds are those bonds that are issued by state and local governments. Being that they come from the state level, their purpose is to fund the building of public municipalities such as schools, highways and sewer systems. As far as taxes are concerned, these bonds are often exempt from federal income taxes and occasionally from state and local taxes depending on where you live and how your location correlates to where the bond was issued.

Corporate Bonds
Last but not least, corporate bonds are issued by companies to fund business expansions or capital investments. Since companies have a higher risk of defaulting as compared to governments, they innately come with a higher level of risk themselves. However, these types of bonds are often associated with having higher yields.

When it comes to investing and financial planning, we at American Investment Planners LLC can determine which type of bond is most appropriate for your financial situation to generate the best long term results. For more information about the variety of bonds and how you can use them to your advantage, visit our online research center or contact us at (516) 932-5130 to set up an appointment with one of our financial planning experts today!

Information courtesy of Emerald Connect.

Dos and Don'ts of Investing

American Investment Planners LLC

500 North Broadway, Suite 260, Jericho, NY 11753

(516) 932-5130 / (866) 932-5130

When it comes to investing, many people are often hesitant and avoid "putting their money in the market" because they realize that there is always a possibility of losing it. Although investing is a balance between risk and reward, you certainly shouldn't avoid the market all together just because you feel skeptical about it. On the other hand, you also shouldn't jump the gun too soon and invest immediately without doing your research - that's when the potential for losing money is higher. That being said, when you know how to invest (which you can learn by investing some of your time), you can make smarter decisions and potentially reduce some of that fear (and hopefully, your chances) of losing out in the future.

The following are a few dos and don'ts of investing that you can start with if you're thinking of getting into it:

Dos:

• Thoroughly research where you plan to put your money to ensure that the benefits are worth it. 
• Pursue a variety of investment options; your portfolio should include an array of investment types!
• Know the fees that are attached to each of your investments. You might feel that the year brought you multiple gains, however, by the time you pay your dues you might find that you wind up with less than you started with - this goes back to research!

Don'ts:

• Only invest in areas that you or others "say" will do well. Furthermore, you also should not invest solely in those stocks who you feel are "due" to win - you can't predict the market! 
• Rely on your emotions. Similar to the previous don't, your feeling shouldn't be the only driving force behind your choices.
• Wait. The sooner you start investing, the better. While you can make up for loses that you experience down the road, you can't make up for lost time.

Being that investing is a serious matter, it's important that you are familiar with exactly how to proceed before making any decisions. That's where we come in! Although your own research will guide you towards making better choices, sitting down with an expert financial planner allows you to receive the professional guidance you would otherwise miss out on. For more information about our investment services and how we can help, visit us at www.americaninvestmentplanners.com or contact us at (516) 932-5130 today.