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Sunday, January 22, 2023

Don't panic! But keep a sense of urgency. While you probably can't identically recreate your benefits you had before the lay off, gather your specific facts about where you stand now. And consult knowledgeable experienced financial "folks."

 

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Understanding my process could help minimize any surprises.

 

Monday, June 13, 2022

Income, especially retirement income, is frequently challenging but particularly so during these low-interest rate times. Advantages & disadvantages of eight (8) different ways of generating income are shown.

 

Monday, December 27, 2021

If you will be in a position to receive an inheritance and / or manage assets for an incapacitated Loved One or an estate, the more specific facts & documents you have in your possession ahead of time, the smoother the transition will go.

 

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Example. $100,000 x 5 years=$500,000 out-of-pocket excludes residence before Medicaid might pay. Must pay for care from Social Security & or pension of the incapacitated spouse. Medicaid requires asset depletion. Medicare very limited.

 

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Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Why might we "need" Life Insurance? Understand your own situation and choices. Maybe a surviving spouse needs capital after losing the smaller Social Security or spouse's pension. Maybe you want to provide for grandchildren's education. Etc

 

Friday, April 16, 2021

Advantages & Disadvantages of Variable, Fixed Indexed and Single Premium Immediate ("Life") Annuities. Generally more expensive and complex than "investment-only" items, but typically with guarantees and possible loss protection.

 

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Model might include but not be limited to 1) Stock Index funds, diversified or concentrated-e.g. a) Sector b) Real Estate c) Commodities d) Etc. 2) Individual investment-grade bonds. 3) Bond mutual funds / ETFs. 4) Active Strategies 5) Cash

 

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) has health insurance cost relief for some of those who have to buy their own health insurance (i.e. not under Medicare, not in an employer plan.)

 

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

An account owned by one person - e.g. an IRA - may not routinely be accessed by anyone else. So if a healthy spouse, for example, wants access to her/his spouse's IRA, POA-Power of Attorney must be in order.

 

Friday, March 26, 2021

If a loved one becomes incapacitated or dies, you will need information. Here is a Financial "Cheat Sheet" that, if not all encompassing, it will be more helpful to have this info than not.

 

Saturday, March 20, 2021

Take some profits now. "Bubbles are usually only identified and studied in retrospect after a massive drop in prices occurs." - Source: Investopedia

 

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Equal inheritance between 2 or more children might be straightforward but parents might have values and compelling reasons for unequal inheritances. And want to avoid conflict between their children after the parents' deaths . . .

 

Friday, February 26, 2021

Historical facts why not to fear "Full Weimar." Plus 9 Possible Inflation Hedges from Investopedia: 1) TIPS 2) CLO - "Leveraged Loans" 3) Bond Index 4) Real Estate Income 5) S & P 500 6) REITs 7) 60-40 Portfolio 8) Commodities 9) Gold

 

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Might be in your best Fiduciary interests. Might provide higher lifetime income than other choices. Capital is used to purchase. Potential Medicaid advantages. By contract so numbers known in advance.

 

Friday, February 12, 2021

Are we in a Bubble? Late in the Cycle? See link below for Ben Carlson's post,: "The Defining Trait of All Bubbles: The Willful Suspension of Disbelief." Good on Ben for that title.

 

Thursday, February 4, 2021

While offering but not requiring implementation of advice, products and / or services through us.

 

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Some potential opportunities for .... Guaranteed (joint) Lifetime Income .... possible tax advantages .... some health care expense considerations ....

 

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Not quite as easy as picking up a $20 bill dropped on the street. Must fit your facts and goals. But could be a nice win with little downside. Worth looking into. Consult professionals.

 

Monday, January 18, 2021

Much of Personal Finance is challenging. So, not quite as easy as picking up a $20 bill dropped on the street. Must fit your facts and goals. But could be a nice win with little downside. Worth looking into. Consult professionals.

 

Sunday, January 10, 2021

8 items on form SSA-44 -apply to reduce or avoid Medicare surcharge are: 1 Marriage 2 Divorce/Annulment 3 Death of Spouse 4 Work Stoppage 5 Work Reduction 6 Loss of income producing property 7 Loss of Pension Income 8 Employee Settlement

 

Thursday, January 7, 2021

Forecast-free. For educational and thought-provoking purposes only.

 

Saturday, January 2, 2021

"As terrible as 2020 has been — and make no doubt about it, 2020 has been a terrible, anxious, death-filled year — it has also presented us with a rare opportunity." Source: Barry Ritholtz. Click "Read More" and see link.

 

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

2020 was an unusual year. Might possible changes before the last business day of 2020 also be different?

 

Thursday, December 24, 2020

"Inside Baseball," irony & sarcasm are not my normals. See video of Brandon Smith, 32 year old who put everything on just one thing and became a Millionaire from This Is Not the Way linked below. Consider SOME diversification. Please.

 

Friday, December 18, 2020

If you are a med or law student or in your early years of training, you might know & practice this already. If you are a new graduate with a job and a place to live, please read on and / or share with friends & family in similar status.

 

Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Why predictions aren't useful 1) Backward-looking. 2) Narrative-conforming. 3) Book-talking. 4) Non-actionable. 5) Boring

 

Friday, December 4, 2020

What and how we measure matters because it gets attention and might change our own behavior AND get happier results.

 

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Diversification can appear easy if it is mechanical. But things change. A simplistic formula might not be in your best interests over the course of your investing life until or through retirement. Second Set of Eyes might be worth a try.

 

Thursday, November 19, 2020

The linked article suggests 7 ways to generate a little more income now. Advantages and disadvantages of each are shown in graph form. Also see linked articles for more on income in a low rate environment

 

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

A "Second Set of Eyes" might be akin to a Second Opinion in medicine. Even if facts are identical, once we add in goals and values, it becomes normal and predictable that Financial Folks might differ on their recommendations.

 

Thursday, November 5, 2020

PIMCO and Morningstar have done some (included) research showing outperformance by active bonds. The two PIMCO attachments and this post discuss why.

 

Thursday, October 29, 2020

"Annuities" are so broad that misguided comparisons abound. At an extreme, like comparing a Porsche to a golf cart. Financial planning - fiduciary-level, anyway, is all about Advantages & Disadvantages. Same with annuities. Get the facts!

 

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Over a long period of time - Jan 1950 through December of 2018, S&P 500 Index was studied and written about in Journal of Finance & Accountancy. A very wide range of numerical outcomes was observed.

 

Saturday, October 17, 2020

Baseball, like many things in life, including investing, involves both luck and skill. Outcome is not 100% in your control. Your process is, so you need to be sure it is as good as it can be.

 

Thursday, October 8, 2020

Economic changes historically had an inevitable ebb and flow. That plus more seniors and needed health care improvements probably will drive higher taxes and some additional measures to lessen economic inequality.

 

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Retirees often must have some allocation to equity to offset future purchasing-power decrease during a long retirement. 1. Pure Index. 2. Simple Trend Algorithm. 3. Quantitative active management. 4. Contractual downside protection

 

Friday, September 25, 2020

Eating nutritious food. Staying physically active. Keeping socially engaged. And challenging your brain are all demonstrably valuable FINANCIAL advice.

 

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Post below mentions 9. It is useful to separate businesses into publicly-traded or private. Also whether you are only an investor or doing some management or operating.

 

Monday, September 7, 2020

Your CFP® should help you 1) Select which model best fits your goal(s.) 2) Monitor your changing situation. 3) Monitor model updates from sponsor(s). 4) Recommend changes, updates &/or modifications best suited to you.

 

Friday, September 4, 2020

Rental income real estate or Index funds better for FIRE? ("Financial Independence Retire Early") Low interest rates a plus. Maybe some of each!

 

Thursday, August 27, 2020

IF you change(d) your risk level (asset allocation) because your life situation changed, that is not market timing. IF you changed because of MARKET change, it is market timing.

 

Monday, August 24, 2020

Fixed income portfolio models using multiple fixed income funds with very broad diversification for some income

 

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

What are some "least bad" income choices in a very low interest rate environment? Risk-return trade-offs remain. Less risk, less return. More risk - potential for greater return AND greater volatility.

 

Sunday, August 2, 2020

Live below your means. Analyze downsizing. Investigate long term care &/or disability insurance. Understand guaranteed sources of income. Include family. Use available tax advantages Optimize social security. Get a professional opinion

 

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Use common sense, good manners, reliability etc. and more opportunities will open up than you might have imagined. Work, friendship, romance, etc. Way easier than you might think to stand out from the competition.

 

Friday, July 17, 2020

Clients do not all value the same attributes in a Financial Advisor. Realistically, not every competent FA is a good fit for every client. Review Morningstar's list of possible Financial Advisor attributes to see which ones YOU value most.

 

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Some might chose not to discuss these topics. For those who will, some ideas on helping your Loved Ones when you can't communicate - temporarily or permanently :-( . Access is critical. Paper and, ideally, digital.

 

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Morningstar research shows goals-based financial planning improved net numbers. Clarifying your own priorities and values can be challenging - but potentially worth it!

 

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Three different ways to own bonds: 1) Traditional "Ladder" of Individual Bonds. (2) Individual Bonds in a UIT-Unit Investment Trust. (3) Multiple bond funds in a dynamic model. Advantages & Disadvantages of each

 

Friday, June 26, 2020

Most of us do not wake up in the morning and contemplate our death or incapacity. Nor do most wish to talk about it. But talk we must. Decide on and document a "Back-Up Decision-Maker." It is in your own best interests-AND your Loved Ones!

 

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Not all financial planners are “certified." Only those who have fulfilled CFP® Board's requirements for experience, ethics, continuing ed and passed the exams are CFP® - CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS™.

 

Thursday, June 11, 2020

Owning both stocks and bonds might be an appropriate strategy for a retiree or "pre-retiree" to avoid a potential very large loss of just stocks and hopefully to generate some ongoing income.

 

Friday, June 5, 2020

Bonds can be owned in: 1) Individually - typically as ladder. (2) Inside a UIT - Unit Investment Trust. (3) In an SMA - Separately Managed Account. (4) In a Bond Fund. Advantages and disadvantages for each type of ownership are below.

 

Friday, May 29, 2020

Fixed income choices might not provide enough income growth for a 30 year retirement. Stock index funds might supply growth but must stay invested even during a downturn. Also consider some diversification into a more flexible approach.

 

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Meeting your Purchasing Power goal in retirement has become even more difficult. Very low or even negative interest rates. Historical stock market losses. Diversification and even some new ideas might be worth investigating

 

Friday, May 22, 2020

How can you meet your retirement goals - accumulation and / or current income - when interest rates are so low?

 

Friday, May 8, 2020

Passive stock Index e.g. S & P 500 has significant upside potential but also significant downside risk. Retirees and pre-retirees need to protect their existing nest egg. Active risk management strategies might help.

 

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Drawdown - i.e. peak to trough drop - potentially 80% as it was in the Great Depression, might be great risk to retirement if you are retired or close. Get the facts. Know YOUR facts. Do some financial planning.

 

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Definition of risk must change significantly as retirement nest egg approaches the goal amount. Risk of loss becomes much more important than opportunity for large gains.

 

Thursday, April 16, 2020

1) Improve your situational awareness 2) Have or develop a "decumulation" strategy. 3) Understand risks of fixed income. 4) Reduce your risk, cost & concentration in equities. 5) Pivot from saving to spending

 

Friday, April 10, 2020

Clearing out what you no longer need from your financial life and making room for what you really want sets the foundation for a healthy, happier present and future.

 

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Ideas of making WFH more productive and pleasant Worthwhile to read the details of each link. MY tip: Digitize important items. Password protect or encrypt. Email to yourself. Set up cloud backup.

 

Thursday, March 26, 2020

"Recency bias" means even if you experienced a previous bear, you might not remember how it felt. Military writes about being "blooded" - experience actual combat for the first time - because no one can actually know until they do.

 

Friday, March 20, 2020

IRL - In Real Life very little is absolute. We can adapt ways that we have supported each other in the past. Progress is occurring, And some have described a path to long-term success. Changes and challenges will continue, but there is hope

 

Friday, March 13, 2020

The Single Greatest Life Lesson: We have to take risk to earn reward, but we have to manage risk to stay in the game long enough to reap our reward.

 

Friday, March 6, 2020

"Be Prepared" and "Get the Facts" are both good ideas. Hand-washing, keeping distance from someone showing symptoms, having a safe supply of needed medications and stable pantry foods make sense. Use trustworthy information sources.

 

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Stocks, Bonds, Real Estate, Cash and Guaranteed joint lifetime income have different advantages and disadvantages. Excluding cash (US $ dollars), the other 4 also have many variations. Each with their own advantages & disadvantages.

 

Thursday, February 20, 2020

So you may ask questions before discussing confidential items. Then I would look at documents. Then we could have a second phone call (both spouses if married) to discuss your values, goals & documents. No charge or obligation for the calls

 

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

So many of us feel we must get all mushy-gushy on Valentine’s Day as we face stores crammed with everything red and heart shaped. For some of us boomers, Valentine’s Day and the romantic love it purports, all seems forced...

 

Thursday, February 6, 2020

And other real life tales of woe. How a Fiduciary might help avoid a financial catastrophe.

 

Thursday, January 30, 2020

FIRE - Financial Independence Retire Early was not around when this first came out. Actually making a decision bears thought and reflection. Talk to some professionals, even if only to crystallize your own thinking.

 

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Checklists can be useful in many areas of life. Pre-retirement planning is one of them. If doing the arithmetic is difficult or troubling, a complimentary phone call is available. No obligation.

 

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Every investment choice has advantages & disadvantages. A well-thought out portfolio of different investments might give you a better opportunity to meet your own goals at an acceptable level of risk for your values & current situation.

 

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Advantages & Disadvantages for risk categories ...

 

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Avoid catastrophic loss if possible. Rearrange Assets? Consider Long Term Care insurance. LTCi could pay for nursing home or in-home care if incapacitated. Medical underwriting required. Price & availability based on age and medical status.

 

Friday, January 3, 2020

1) Workers who are part-time, gig or in smaller firms might have more access to 401(k) plans. 2) Potential annuities inside 401-(k.) (3) Stretch IRA for non-spousal beneficiaries mostly limited to 10 years. Many other elements.

 

Monday, December 30, 2019

Originally posted at the end of 2016, but still looks potentially useful. New Year's is a time some like to check their financial facts, goals and values. Here are some questions to help.

 

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

As a CFP® -- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(tm), here are some questions. If answers to these questions are important to you and / or your Loved Ones, maybe financial planning will benefit you.

 

Monday, July 1, 2019

When you have achieved retirement security or are close, it's unwise to take unnecessary risk. The public and some so-called experts have over-learned certain Wall Street-isms that might not apply for pre- and current retirees.

 

Thursday, March 28, 2019

All stock index fund has highest potential upside. Bonds have return of principal and predictable interest. Guaranteed joint lifetime income is cash flow you can not outlive. How much of each do you want in your retirement nest egg?

 

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Middle class often have many financial parts-sometime "a la carte" with no Fiduciary understanding their complete situation and acting ONLY in their best interests.

 

Thursday, May 10, 2018

My CFP® role is to know my clients best to help achieve their goals. Third Party investment specialists like CFA®s-Chartered Financial Analysts®-have advanced investment knowledge that, working with us, might improve clients' investments.

 

Sunday, April 8, 2018

Freedom of Choice. No other transaction required. Comprehensive plan or specific solution available. Pay just for what you need. Hourly rate. No required minimum assets or hours. Objective, no-conflict written second opinion by a CFP(r).

 

Saturday, March 24, 2018

On-line providers might offer products & services at lower expense than traditional advisers. And make some other services available at additional charge(s.) Or just not offer some services provided by individual financial advisers. Ask!

 

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

"Fixed" Income might be somewhat less fixed than you might think. The Fixed Income category has choices. Not all guaranteed. Not all known in advance. Trade-offs exist. Pick the ones that are most in your interests.

 

Monday, January 29, 2018

As a CFP(R), along with a Finance MBA, CLU(R) and 28 years of experience, I specialize in helping clients with the more complex financial, estate and insurance situations typically outside the competence of mass market & on-line providers

 

Sunday, January 7, 2018

(1) Can't afford LTCi. WILL use Medicaid. (2) $10,000,000+ Net Worth-Probably can fund care out-of-pocket. (3) Economic "Middle" Couples combining resources to fund joint retirement might face financial disruption so should study LTCi.

 

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

10 things to do with your life insurance. 1-Tax-free exchange 2-Reduce face 3-Reduced paid-up 4-Pay different amount 5-Convert term to perm 6-Trust changes 7-Surrender for cash 8-Life settlement 9-Re-illustrate 10-Beneficiary change

 

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Mission Statement: My mission is to make significant Improvement in clients' peace of mind and actual situation. For typical people in the economic middle. Acting only in clients' best interests - my view of the Fiduciary Standard.

 

Thursday, December 7, 2017

So you may ask questions before discussing confidential items. Then I would look at documents. Then we could have a second phone call (both spouses if married) to discuss your values, goals & documents. No charge or obligation for the calls

 

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Plan Early - You Might Have More Choices - Care Choices as well as Financial Choices Medicaid Rules and Their Enforcement Continue to Change and Evolve - Including Differences Between States Consult professionals. Get the facts....

 

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Does Your Fiduciary follow the Duty of Care as well as the Duty of Loyalty? It's not optional! Financial "Folks" / entities who say they follow the Fiduciary Standard but do not follow the Duty of Care might face legal jeopardy.

 

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Potentially lose months of access to a loved one's assets if Power of Attorney (POA) is not honored ... Potentially lose retirement security if Beneficiary Designations are not up-to-date ... Excess taxes if rollover rules not followed ...

 

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and Investment Advisor Representatives (IARs) might receive consulting or financial planning or investment advice fees. Registered Representatives might receive commissions for investment transactions.

 

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

If you have ... Spouse - Children - IRA - Grandchildren - More real estate than just primary residence - Annuity - Life Insurance - Business - etc. - then you might benefit by paying a Fiduciary.

 

Monday, June 19, 2017

Per Motley Fool: 1) Fees: Based on: A) Per cent of assets. B) Hourly Rate. C) Flat fee for a 1-time Financial Plan. 2) Commissions: A) 1-time for sales. B) Ongoing service payments. C) For transactions.

 

Friday, June 2, 2017

Values & Goals - Income - Expenses - Assets - Investments - Liabilities & Debt - Insurance - Marriage - Tax - Business - Estate Planning - Debt - Real Estate - Retirement - Pension - Annuities

 

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Investments-IRA-401(k); Beneficiary Designations; Pension; Deferred Comp; Taxes; Insurances; Businesses; Real Estate; Debts; Annuities; Will; Trusts; Divorce; Legal agreements; Inheritance; Beneficiary of a Trust or Annuity Income Stream

 

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

CFP® Board financial planning process adheres to Fiduciary Standard: 1) Agree on how to work together. 2) Gather information on finances & set goals. 3) Analyze & Strategize. 4) Recommendations. 5) Put plan into motion. 6) Monitor progress

 

Sunday, April 30, 2017

Financial Folks are not all required to act in clients best interests. Any Fiduciary is. "Virtual Fiduciary " or local. Is your adviser Fiduciary? Get it in writing!

 

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Financial folks are provided a large if not dizzying array of software. Output is often visually attractive. But is it useful? Is it fiduciary? Or just boilerplate or a template?

 

Thursday, March 2, 2017

While investment management and financial advice are both important, for individuals and / or couples, fiduciary financial advice is critical.

 

Monday, February 20, 2017

To retire the way you wish, as well as manage risks for yourself and family, it might be critical to have life insurance and / or long-term care insurance and / or disability income insurance.

 

Monday, January 23, 2017

Financial advisers might combine investment management & financial planning fees. But clients' situations differ. Investment management might be competitively overpriced . And / or financial planning might not be at fiduciary thoroughness.

 

Saturday, January 14, 2017

A fiduciary must have all your information and documents to follow the fiduciary standard. Not every client complies. Not every financial person requires all the documents before actually implementing a solution. A double-edged sword!

 

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

A bond is a debt investment - an investor loans money to an entity which borrows the funds for a defined period of time - typically paying interest twice a year - then paying back 100% of the principal at maturity.

 

Sunday, October 30, 2016

TSP-like a 401(k) for Federal employees-has advantages including index investing and very low expenses. Disadvantages: No one understands your situation so they can't provide individualized advice. Anonymous service. Low flexibility.

 

Sunday, June 5, 2016

The goal of a financial advisor should be to protect you from an unrecoverable (and "unforced") error. Free and / or very low cost resources might provide some competent technical advice ... with little or no Emotional Intelligence

 

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Moshe Milevsky ... a very smart "quant" and annuity expert ... ran the numbers to figure out when to start your Guaranteed (joint) Lifetime Income benefit ... now ... or soon ... was the answer.

 

Monday, May 9, 2016

Warren Buffet is one of the most successful "active" investors ... but he requires his estate to be invested "passively." He recently explained why ... "live streaming" ... (first time ever) at the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting

 

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Everyone's situation is different. No "one-size-fits-all" solution. Retirement planning process is critical. Analysis first. Then recommendations.

 

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Financial firms behaving badly. A perfectly executed POA might not be enough. It might have to be drafted within 2-3 years. Ask all your providers if they will honor it. Keep their responses on file. Wash - rinse - repeat every year.

 

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Quoted from Jane Bryant Quinn. Jane paid $100,000 out of pocket for her (late) husband's care. When she was ready to marry again, she insisted he have LTCi.

 

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Fees Case Study: Simplified and Hypothetical. 1% on $1,000,000 is an annual fee of $10,000. Times 30 years is $300,000 over the 30 year period

 

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

"Do-It-Yourself" ... "DIY" ... is sometimes frowned upon. But if you keep things really simple -- and don't need to draw ongoing income (a much more complex task) might it be in your interest to Do-It-Yourself and save fees?

 

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

If you are retiring as a couple pooling your resources, certain insurance might be critical, especially Life Insurance and Long Term Care insurance.

 

Friday, March 18, 2016

"In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is." Yogi Berra

 

Thursday, March 17, 2016

If you and /or a spouse / family member / friend ... won the lottery ... inherited money ... are analyzing retirement plan or pension distribution choices ...

 

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Annuity definitions supplied by outside sources. Readers are invited to follow the links and read more for themselves.

 

Friday, March 11, 2016

Some financial people hold one license to legally offer one category of product or service. Other people hold multiple licenses and can legally offer more. This post has specific website links to hopefully reduce confusion.

 

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Comprehensive thought-provoking questions to ask yourself, your spouse and / or an aging parent or relative about holistic planning

 

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Published investment performance of college endowment funds showed all size categories underperformed a simple index strategy for 5 years. Only the $1 Billion+ category bettered the index for 10 years ... better by 0.4%.

 

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

I designed the brief introduction plus the Retirement Income Planning Questionnaire to stimulate your thinking about your current or future retirement income. Crunching your actual numbers makes it even better.

 

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Stanford GSB & Wharton professors' research found superior investment skill exists persistently ... but individual investors can't benefit from it.

 

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Guaranteed Lifetime Income for a single person or a married couple might be available from several sources . Here are some possibilities.

 

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Aviation checklists are well-known to save lives. Financial checklists might not literally be life-saving ... but the impact on your family and your loved ones could be substantial. Take a look.

 

Saturday, January 2, 2016

If you are taking your financial advice from someone who doesn’t know your situation and is also not regulated by agencies tasked with protecting the public, beware and consider the sources.

 

Friday, December 25, 2015

As a Federal pre-retiree or retiree, consult with a CFP® -- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(tm) Professional who is already working with other Feds and is experienced with the Federal system. No charge or obligation.

 

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Consult a Financial Professional familiar with Fed employees and retirees before moving your TSP money! TSP offers specific advantages. Make a full or partial change if benefits not available in TSP work better for you.

 

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Robo Advisors or financial salespeople might offer a good product, but might not properly address Big Picture issues like the Holistic 46 Point Checklist. Do-It-Yourself and miss a professional opinion unless you coordinate everything.

 

Thursday, August 14, 2014

New York Times article references other studies on the rare occurrences when skill actively picking specific investments seems to actually outperform a relevant index investment

 

Sunday, May 11, 2014

"Managed" or "active" investors claim to beat indexers net of fees. It is very difficult to do! And as they become successful, it appears to become even more difficult to beat the indexes.

 

Monday, April 14, 2014

Multiemployer pension plans, with a union and several employers, are in great danger of failing. And the PBGC, the Federal Government agency responsible for backing up these pensions, doesn’t have enough money to back them.

 

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Even though index or passive investments are recommended for reasons other than performance, Rick Ferri’s work shows that index or passive investments have at least a 3 to 1 probability of outperforming active ones

 

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

If you've been hit by rising LTCi (Long Term Care insurance) premiums, it's important to get the facts and understand your choices.

 

Monday, March 24, 2014

Currently it would not be uncommon for a client to pay a 1% advisory fee. There might be other internal expenses of perhaps an additional 0.50% - 1.50%. Is a total expense of 1.5% worth it? How about 2.5%? The answer clearly depends on . .

 

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Even though it is now “relatively easy” for an individual to do his / her own investing, it’s not necessarily a good idea. Getting it right takes more work and attention than might be initially obvious. And avoiding...

 

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

I disagree with a portion of the Wall Street Journal article. Individual bonds are substantially superior to bond funds for many investors, especially those for whom capital preservation is important.

 

Friday, February 21, 2014

Paying the smallest amount of taxes legally possible on your retirement investments can pay off substantially. Whether you agree with current tax policies or not, it pays to be aware of them. Non-profit institutions such as big...

 

Thursday, February 20, 2014

WhatsApp has already achieved great success simply by recognizing change . . . and capitalizing on it! For a great number of us, this ability to recognize and make use of change might be critical to our successful retirement

 

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Most folks do not have a good handle on their living expenses. Take some simple steps to understand how much your spending . . . and how much small changes could improve your retirement

 

Monday, February 17, 2014

Assuming an identical investment return of 7%, there would be $159,000 more in a 401(k) account using index funds than active funds at age 65. At age 709, the difference is $257,000!

 

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

On October 1st of 2013, enrollment for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, began. For this reason, you’ve probably seen a lot of news about Obamacare lately, and it’s only going to increase. I’ve had a lot of clients ask...

 

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Insurance (is) the ignored component in financial planning . . . . . CNBC.com“Risk management” … is … “the first thing you should look at before investing – it’s critical.”“… it’s increasingly important to … plan for extended …...

 

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

“If you pay someone to invest your money, it’s because you think that they can get better returns than you can. The reality, however, is that having your money actively managed by an expert is, on average, worse than just...

 

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Multiple research studies have shown the difficulty of “active” investments outperforming “passive,” including the one linked above. However, just because you’ve correctly figured out that passive (not...

 

Thursday, October 24, 2013

“On October 14, Eugene Fama was one of three U.S. economists . . . awarded the 2013 Nobel Memorial Price in Economic Sciences. . . . “Fama’s seminal work . . . led to the creation of the index fund, now the...

 

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Please find attached a “Guide to the Markets” for the period ending 9-30-2013. Weekly Market Recap and Weekly Economic Update for 10-14-2013 are also attached.

 

Thursday, October 10, 2013

*Note: Please see excerpted client brochure and academic research cited below to support this material and the title statement.Here are my conclusions on the passive investing choices that I offer . . .1) Your Goals: Focus is on your...

 

Thursday, August 29, 2013

The Lead CommentIn 2008, Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book entitled Outliers: The Story of Success. In the New Yorker article linked below, he comments further:“Forty years ago, in a paper in American Scientist, Herbert Simon and William...

 

Thursday, August 29, 2013

THE LEAD COMMENTMy own “home-made” definition of diversification is that everything should not / can not / will not go up at once. Because, if it does, it could also go down at the same time, which could be disastrous. The other...

 

Monday, July 29, 2013

It often comes as a surprise (if not actually a shock!!) to folks when I mention to them that their current advisor might . . . or might not . . . be acting “only in their best interests” (following the Fiduciary Standard) ...

 

Monday, July 29, 2013

The Lead Comment(Please first read the article linked immediately below.) Because some if not most of my clients have investments, this comment is aimed at people who do have investments – and adult children (one of my favorite...

 

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Many people forget that in very traditional, conservative asset allocation, “cash” and “cash equivalents constitute an asset class – meaning one of the investments you could hold. Here’s why:

 

Monday, June 24, 2013

Recently I wrote something about “paying twice” which I encourage careful readers to revisit. There are now “national” services that will – for a fee—provide “guidance” of some type for...

 

Thursday, June 13, 2013

For the purpose of this comment, I am not promoting one designation over another. But I do feel it is a very good idea to actually read the Morningstar.com article linked below. The other critical issue is to try to determine –...

 

Friday, May 31, 2013

If you are . . . Widowed . . . Divorced . . . Single Parent . . . or just want to be diligent about our planning please read the New York Times article directly below -- What Millennials Need to Ask their Parents. Financially, our...

 

Thursday, May 30, 2013

For those wanting to improve the financial security of their retirement, the below “How-To” section features 3 very different topics. The 31 Steps article can, in theory, be printed out.

 

Monday, May 27, 2013

The first time I was asked the question about “paying twice,” I candidly double-clutched. After thinking about it further, I incorporated this critical information into my normal presentation to clients.

 

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

For those wanting to improve the financial security of their retirement, the below “How-To” section features 3 very different topics. The 31 Steps article can, in theory, be printed out. However, the real power of that particular article is that each of the 31 steps have additional links, including “Why It Matters” and Related Links.

 

Friday, April 26, 2013

For better or for worse, the 401(k) and its non-profit counterpart, the 403(b,) have become central to many folks’ retirement. As a result, it has become ever more important to pay attention to some key details. Some who...

 

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Do you have an “Orphan 401(k)?” One of the articles below mentions that some folks can get “kicked out” of a 401(k) from a former employer. Even if your 401 (k) from a previous employer is stable – i.e. you can’t be arbitrarily kicked out, you have choices!! Does it make sense to leave it there . . . maybe! Does it make sense to “roll it over” to your own IRA . . . maybe!

 

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

If you find yourself in the position of not being able to retire – the way you want to retire – at the time you want to retire – perhaps you will consider starting a business. As the Bloomberg article below shows, some people continue to work because they have to. Some people continue to work because they want to.

 

Monday, April 8, 2013

Once upon a time, as the saying goes, people “typically” worked until they died. Or got too sick to work – at which point, they did not “typically” live much longer and were cared for by family members. The concept of a pleasurable (and now often lengthy) retirement has arisen in our society much more recently in our history.

 

Sunday, March 24, 2013

I have commented – perhaps even railed – at the need for an economic “level playing field.” The 100% purest form would be if there were no tax breaks. None. Note that if there were no tax breaks, we would “solve” our deficit & debt problem – immediately – of course, if such a “fix” didn’t affect the real economy – which, of course, it would!

 

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

With the Dow making headlines and new records, it is important to keep things in perspective. One view, the “Inflated View” below, shows that inflation has “eroded almost half the index’s overall gain since 1994.”

 

Thursday, March 7, 2013

In my opinion, here’s the most important part of the above article: “Remember: If your investment is held within an individual retirement account, Roth IRA, 401(k) or other tax-sheltered retirement plan, it isn't subject to cost-basis reporting.”

 

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

In talking with several people recently, I’ve come to the conclusion that Social Security benefits are poorly understood or misunderstood. And the decisions made about these benefits – particularly in the case of people who are married or were married for at least 10 years -- even if their former spouse is remarried or deceased are particularly misunderstood.