Best-Performing Asset Classes
According to Yale University’s Crash Confidence Index, only about 24% of investors are confident the stock market will not crash sometime during the next six months.1 If fear leads investors to avoid the entire investment class, they may limit their potential returns. For example, for most of the 10-year period between 2012 and 2022, stocks […]
TIPS for Inflation
In February 2018, Jerome Powell was appointed as Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. He became the 16th chair to take over the helm of the world’s most influential central bank. Among other duties, he and the Fed governors are tasked with adjusting short-term interest rates to help control inflation […]
Where Will Your Retirement Money Come From?
What workers anticipate in terms of retirement income sources may differ considerably from what retirees actually experience. For many people, retirement income may come from a variety of sources. Here’s a quick review of the six main sources: Social Security Social Security is the government-administered retirement income program. Workers become eligible after paying Social Security […]
Split Annuity Strategy
When financial markets turn volatile, some investors show their frustration by fleeing the markets in search of alternatives that are designed to offer stability. For example, in the first quarter of 2020, the S&P 500 lost nearly 20% of its value, over $5 trillion, due to market volatility.1 For those looking for a way off […]
Traditional vs. Roth IRA
Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), which were created in 1974, are owned by roughly 36.6 million U.S. households. And Roth IRAs, created as part of the Taxpayer Relief Act in 1997, are owned by nearly 27.3 million households.1 Both are IRAs. And yet, each is quite different. Up to certain limits, traditional IRAs allow individuals […]
Healthcare Costs in Retirement
In a 2022 survey, 35% of all workers reported they were either “not too” or “not at all” confident that they would have enough money to pay for their medical expenses in retirement. Regardless of your confidence, however, being aware of potential healthcare costs during retirement may allow you to understand what you can pay […]
Countdown to College
As a parent, you of course want to give your child the best opportunity for success, and for many, attending the “right” university or college is that opportunity. Unfortunately, being accepted to the college of one’s choice may not be as easy as it once was. Additionally, the earlier you consider how you expect to […]
Fixed or Variable Mortgage, Which Should You Pick?
Buying a home is the single-largest financial commitment most people ever make. And sorting through mortgages involves a lot of critical choices. One of these is choosing between a fixed or variable interest rate mortgage. True to its name, fixed-rate mortgage interest is “fixed” throughout the life of the loan. In contrast, the interest rate […]
Managing an Inheritance
Inheriting wealth can be a burden and a blessing. Even if you have an inclination that a family member may remember you in their last will and testament, there are many facets to the process of inheritance that you may not have considered. Here are some things you may want to keep in mind if […]
When Heirs are Imperfect
Passing your estate to an heir with credit problems or a gambling or alcohol addiction might not only lead to that wealth being squandered, but the inheritance could worsen the destructive behaviors. Of course, you don’t want to disinherit your child simply because of their personal challenges. There are potential solutions that allow parents to […]