Learn the basics of Estate Planning, including wills and probate, trust, beneficiary designations & taxes.
"Happily ever after" is typically the ending to a fairy tale. But it's more than that. It's also the way we want to retire. What does it take to have a long and happy retirement? This has been the subject of study by Ph.D.'s in countries around the world. Before I go on, how would [...]
Are you a woman who tosses and turns at night, worrying about money? Insurer Allianz surveyed women in 2019 found that 67% of female survey respondents reported worrying about their current financial situation versus 57% of males interviewed. Nearly 40% of women surveyed reported thinking about money on a daily or least weekly basis. A [...]
“Going into 2021, retirees should understand that investment-only retirement income plans are not as efficient and profitable as integrated plans that include transfer of risk through life insurance and income annuities." Jerry Yu For the first time in a while, Americans are less concerned about how the presidential race outcome will shape the future economy [...]
Let me just say that all of America knows where to find Safety—CD’s, money markets, and treasury bonds. All of America knows where to find an opportunity—the stock market. However, many do not know where to find safety, an opportunity for growth, liquidity, and income on the same dollar, at the same time, with no [...]
As people get close to their retirement years, objectives and goals must adjust from accumulation to income distribution, and portfolio investment risk must be also be addressed accordingly. There is no good reason for investors at or near retirement to have stock or bond market risk, especially in the current low-interest-rate environment. So, where can [...]
"Index investing" is a passive investment strategy used by some investors in an attempt to generate returns comparable to a broad market index. Proponents of index investing believe that it's impossible to beat the market once you take fees and taxes into account. Many people involved in index investing find index funds to be more [...]
"If you are preparing to purchase an annuity, you will need to decide when you want your stream of periodic payments to begin. The time when the income stream turns on is known as the "annuitization" phase. "- John Ripley There are several ways to receive payments during the annuitization phase of an annuity contract. [...]
If you have been looking for a financial advisor or retirement and income specialist recently, you may have run across the term "fiduciary." Fiduciary rules have been in the news lately due to some new Department of Labor (DOL) rules which clarify which financial professionals are considered fiduciaries and which are not. In June of [...]
In September 2020, the Federal Reserve ended its two-day policy meeting by announcing its intention of keeping interest rates at their current all-time lows until 2023. Since 70% of the American economy relies on consumption, the Fed's commitment to low-interest rates is part of an effort to push Americans away from saving and into spending. [...]
There's a gremlin nibbling away at your wealth as fast you can accumulate it. It's a real threat operating under a rather benign-sounding name, "opportunity cost."- Michael Masor Opportunity cost is a financial principle that is critical to understanding how to build and preserve wealth. Yet, most people fail to grasp its' importance for their [...]
