The World Was Flat In the past, financial advisors have relied on a well-balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds to manage a client’s risk versus return. While the general practice is widely accepted, if you ask 50 different financial advisors what a well-balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds looks like, you’ll likely get 50 similar, […]
For nearly three decades interest rates have declined. Stock market volatility sent investors fleeing to safety, driving interest rates further south. Americans saving for retirement have been forced to make a choice between historically low interest-rates succumbing to eroding effects of inflation, or risking their money investing in a volatile and unpredictable stock market. Recent […]
What’s the difference between average rates of return and real rates of return? Let’s say you begin with $100,000. You invest all of it in marketable securities. Then the market goes up 25% over a 1-year period. In that case your $100,000 becomes $125,000 if you sell your securities. That’s pretty exciting. We know that […]
The TAX CUTS & JOBS ACT is in the books. It may be seen as a benefit to individuals as well as some business structures. Whether you are for or against the tax cuts, and their impact on the country and economy, it’s best to discuss how to take advantage of the new changes. In […]
Is it important to you to understand how a financial professional is licensed and compensated? If not, maybe it should be. Knowing how your advisor is licensed and compensated may be the key to avoid receiving conflicted advice. Does your ideal advisor relationship include working with a professional who receives a commission when you purchase […]
One of the most mystifying risks in retirement is the Order Of Returns risk. Investing in marketable securities exposes you to this risk. The future value of your investment is unknown. It might go up (+) or down (-). Returns don’t occur in a straight-line pattern. If you own stocks, bonds, or mutual funds within […]
Provisional Income may not mean much to you unless you are currently receiving Social Security benefits. However, one of the most engaging topics that we cover in our Social Security education class is the impact of taxes on benefits. Many adult learners who attend don’t know that their Social Security benefits will likely be subject […]
Is your a financial advisor a financial product supplier or an architect? When it comes to building homes (or financial plans) the raw material supplier and the architect both play a significant role in the construction of a home. Neither is necessarily bad or good, better or worse. They have very different roles to play, […]
My partner and I recently met with a couple from one of our workshops whose financial life is quite complex. These folks have done well for themselves. They lived well within their means throughout their working years, managed to consistently save for retirement, and have successfully accumulate more than enough resources to maintain their desired […]
A basic principle of investing is that you should gradually reduce your exposure to risk as you get older. Generally speaking, a younger investor has a longer time horizon and therefore can absorb more short-term investment risk. An older investor has a shorter time horizon and therefore doesn’t have as much time to absorb short-term […]