by Matt Crisafulli, EA, CFP®

The reverberations of the Brexit vote are being felt worldwide, and the British Pound Sterling (GBP) has declined sharply against all major currencies. It is currently at a 30 year low against the U.S. dollar (USD). Not surprisingly, the top trending searches on Google in the United States is “how to purchase British Pound Sterling.” As of today (June 27, 2016) it costs $1.32 (USD) to buy one GBP, that is down from $1.60 less than a year ago and $2.10 at its peak in 2007. Naturally, Americans recognize a bargain when they see it, especially entering the peak travel season. Unfortunately, buying currencies is not as easy as buying stocks because currencies do not trade on an exchange like stocks do. Here are some ways you can buy currencies and the associated risks that one should keep in mind.

By now you have probably heard about Brexit, the successful vote by British citizens to exit the European Union and the immediate reaction of the global financial markets.

Originally posted on NerdWallet by Brianna McGurran @briannamcscribe

We are thrilled to announce that Mathew Crisafulli, EA, CFP^®, has been authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board) to use the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP^® certification marks in accordance with CFP Board certification and renewal requirements.

by Dr. Neda Frayha -  internist, clinical assistant professor of medicine and assistant dean at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

"I remember just feeling at that time like a huge failure. And not feeling like I deserved any thanks or any praise for my efforts because they had not succeeded, and he had died, and he was a very young man."

On Wednesday, February 18th, Ara had the honor of presenting the Volunteer League of the San Fernando Valley a #bigcheck in the amount of $10,000 on behalf of The Water Buffalo Club. The Water Buffalo Club is a charitable organization whose mission is to provide grants and support to smaller charities that focus on underprivileged and undeserved youth in the greater Los Angeles area. As a member of the WBC, Ara worked with the Volunteer League to receive this generous grant that will help them continue to clothe and support needy #LAUSD students and families in the San Fernando Valley. We applaud the work the Volunteer League is doing in our community!

Despite the date on the calendar, 2015 is not over yet! Whether you have a Roth or Traditional IRA, you still have time to make your contribution count towards 2015. In order to capitalize on a 2015 contribution, you must open an account (if you don't already have one) and make a contribution before the April 18, 2015 IRS deadline (April 19th if you live in Maine or Massachusetts). SEP IRA owners have until October 17, 2016 to contribute if they choose to file an extension.