Retirement Planning

Spend 15 minutes and make sure you’re doing all you can to take advantage of 2019 and setting yourself up for a successful 2020.

...It’s a big decision to decide when to retire...[but] it’s also important to determine the best time of the year for quitting work...[as] the specific date on which you start your retirement could impact...benefits from your former employer, Social Security distributions, and taxes to name a few...[This article identifies] 7 factors to consider as you plan the best time of the year to start your retirement.

I recently discovered a video entitled 10 Myths About Government Debt that lays out several reasons why we are in real trouble. I encourage you to watch this 21 minute video. The most troubling assertion in the video is that our nation’s usual sources of loans are tapped out…[and that] the only source we have left is the Federal Reserve, which means …

…Asset allocation…explains 100% of investment performance – yes, all of it. Accordingly, most of your time, energy and money should be spent on asset allocation…and a plan for asset allocation is called an investment policy. …Asset allocation are risk decisions designed to achieve objectives with an acceptable likelihood…This risk decision is called “risk willingness” or “risk necessity” and needs to be …

An alarming number of Americans aren’t saving for retirement. They may have “predicted the rain,” but for whatever reason they haven’t gotten around to “building the ark.”

…Living on a fixed income doesn’t necessarily relegate you to a life of scrimping and penny-pinching. Many retirees live on a fixed income of some kind, and it’s definitely possible to live well on a fixed income — the key is careful financial planning and budgeting. Create a Budget It all starts with getting a handle on your income and …

Beyond wishing for interest rates to bounce back to historic highs, what can you do to help your portfolio produce income into your golden years?

There may be a case where a reverse mortgage makes sense in very unique circumstances but, in real life, I’ve not seen one yet. If someone you know is considering taking out a reverse mortgage, send them this article and suggest that they get a second opinion.

If you don't know much about investing, you may feel overwhelmed or bewildered by the choices. Enter annuities. The best of them are easy to understand, even by financial novices: "Give us your money, and we'll give you this much money per month until you die." That sounds simple - but simpler isn't always better [so let's review] whether they're needed in a retirement plan or not.

The modern consumer is becoming increasingly distinct from those of years past so for us to truly understand how these changes will affect the marketplace and our investments, we need to rethink and update our image of the modern consumer. Here are three ways the new consumer is different than in years past: