As I grew up in America, there was a prevailing narrative about the success of what was known as the ‘middle class’. These were people who clearly were not poor and yet could not be considered ‘rich’. As the decades passed, the ‘middle class’ began to collect another description. People were categorized as ‘lower middle …
Author: Tony Kendzior, CLU, ChFC - Financial Planner
I've lived happily, raised a family, and enjoyed a professional life in Gainesville for over 50 years. The next several years are full of promise. My goal is to find new clients, new friends and somehow share the wisdom I've accumulated over these many years. And when I have time, play a little golf and travel with my family. Cheers!
Economic Incentives for Climate Change
My Comments: What are your thoughts about climate change? Do you believe it’s real? If it is, how will it impact your life? Or the lives of your children and grandchildren? Will it affect where you choose to live, what to eat, how to invest your money? Personally, I think it’s very real, that it …
1 in 5 Seniors Is Living in Poverty — How to Make Sure You Don’t Become One of Them
My Comments: How long will you live? I have a mea culpa to make. For the first 30 years of my career as a financial professional, I subscribed to the prevailing notion that financial planning efforts should be focused on life expectancy. There are probably still many financial professionals out there making that assumption. It …
Continue reading 1 in 5 Seniors Is Living in Poverty — How to Make Sure You Don’t Become One of Them
When You Retire Could Make A Huge Difference
There is a risk associated with when you retire that’s sometimes the fault of your parents. It’s something over which you had absolutely no control. Specifically, when you were born. Let’s assume you’re now well into middle age, have a job that pays well but the idea of retirement is increasingly on your mind. You …
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One stunning chart undercuts Trump’s favorite economic scorecard
My Comments: As an observer of both the stock and bond markets over the past 45 years, I can assure anyone that while there is a correlation between market movements and economic health of the nation, it is far from 100%. Couple that with an understanding that over those same years, we have seen huge …
Continue reading One stunning chart undercuts Trump’s favorite economic scorecard
Working Past 65 Can Affect Your Social Security Benefits and Medicare Premiums
Why age 65? Why is that such a pervasive number when thinking about retirement? My assumption is that it first appeared in documented action in 1935. That’s when Congress passed the Social Security Act, designed to pay workers age 65 or older a monthly stipend from amounts they would pay into the system. I suspect …
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IMF boss says global economy risks return of Great Depression
My Comments: Few of us remember the Great Depression. Most of us remember the Great Recession. It happened in 2008-2009 and was a financial disaster for many of us, despite it not being characterized as a “economic depression”. Since then, we’ve been watching the stock market march upwards, though with increasing nervousness. Is this time …
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The Secure Act is now law. Will it help your retirement?
I last wrote about the Secure Act back on July 18th of this year. The name is an acronym for Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement. As I mentioned then, someone stayed up late one night coming up with that to reflect the message of security. The idea behind any effort that allows people …
Continue reading The Secure Act is now law. Will it help your retirement?
Limited Advice Disappoints Near Retirees
My Comments: The title itself is a little disappointing to me. What exactly are “near-retirees”? I spent almost all my working time these days promoting the idea that a successful retirement, however you want to define that, is a function of time, effort and discipline. Oh sure, you might win the lottery but the odds …
Social Security Changes for 2020: Raises, COLA, Taxes, Benefits
My Comments: Virtually all of us now retired depend to some degree on our Social Security retirement benefits. To suggest otherwise is silly. It’s now so ingrained in our financial lives that to maintain our standard of living, we must make sure we continue to receive those monthly benefits. That’s true no matter how much …
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Helping Define Your Financial Future 