An IRA for Your Child?

Did you know that anyone with earned income is potentially eligible to fund an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA)? There are income limits that prevent high income earners from funding Traditional or Roth IRAs, but for a large portion of the population, funding an IRA is a viable option. Here is an interesting opportunity. Let’s say you have a teenager who works part time or has a summer job. As long as they have “earned income” (i.e. income reported on a Continue Reading →

Harness the Power of Compounding

The one lesson I truly wish I had learned earlier in life than I did is the Power of Compounding. This one mathematical equation is the key element to achieving Financial Independence. Albert Einstein has even been rumored as saying “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it … he who doesn’t … pays it.” Whether this quote is truly attributable to the Father of Relativity or not is unimportant, the content, however, Continue Reading →

Make Some, Save & Invest, Live on the Rest

For the initial blog post on Mark’s Money Mind, I thought it would best to give a quick introduction. My name is Mark Trautman and I live in Crested Butte, Colorado with my wife and daughter. I retired from full-time employment at the end of 2015 after a 28 year career in the financial services industry. During the latter 24 years, I was an equity mutual fund portfolio manager for a small closely held company. My passion has always been personal finance and I received Continue Reading →