The first thing every investor should know and accept is that there is no such thing as a sure thing when it comes to investments. Risk is a part of the investing process; we need some risk in order to generate profits. There is always the possibility that your investment
An annuity is a stream of income paid to the client over a specified time period. Generally, annuities can be either: Fixed or variable-where the amount paid is based on the nature of the underlying investments, Single premium or flexible premium-how the annuity fee is paid, Immediate payout or deferred
Happy New Year; 2014 is a year of memories and 2015 is a year of promises. Some of those promises might not be pleasant for individuals transferring an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) unless they follow very specific rules. The Transfer IRAs can be transferred to a new advisor or trustee
On Monday, October 27, 2014, the Society of Actuaries issued new estimates of life expectancies in the U.S. A 65 year old female has a life expectancy of 88.8 years, an increase of 2.4 years from the 2000 age projection. Males age 65 have a life expectancy of 86.6 years,
Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) have been a popular savings vehicle for a long time (since 1974). They became more popular with the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981. Contributions made into an IRA were usually tax deductible (depending on your income level) and grew tax deferred until money was taken
Retirement brings many changes. The old adage of “twice as much spouse and half as much money” is humorous; other aspects of retirement are not. In this issue, we discuss some of the planning issues that retirement brings. We also look at what may lie ahead for rising interest rates.The
When you think of “investing”, what comes to mind? Did you think of the US stock market? You might have thought about bonds or other fixed income securities. What about real estate, commodities or other alternative investments? Although less common, they can provide significant benefits when combined with stocks and
I had a discussion with a friend today about the value of a job. Not the value of a job as a younger person, but the value of a job as a “phased in” retirement. Many baby boomers are facing the question “When should I retire?” Our discussion focused on some
There are times we read things that cause us to say, as my friend puts it, “I’ll have to think on that.” Such a time occurred as I read an article in the April 28, 2014 Investment News (pg. 40) written by Mary Beth Franklin. The basic premise was that,
My parents taught me to respect my elders. As I get older, it’s getting harder and harder to find anyone more elderly than I. However, there are some advantages to ageing (other than the obvious one of a longer life span). I thought I would mention just a few in