A sub-title for this blog post might be: Mutual Funds? Annuities? ETFs? Or what? My not so clever answer is “It depends…”. To which you will ask “on what?”. Here’s a list to start with: What types of investments have you been successful with? What is your level of fear that you’ll run out of …
Category: Investing Money
Investing for Retirement: What Price Are You Willing to Pay for Guarantees?
Life can be scary sometimes. It can be doubly scary when we realize personal financial decisions are inherently emotional decisions. Who among us has not made a bad choice along the way where money was involved? Conceptually, retirement is inherently personal. And the elephant in the room at first glance is almost exclusively a matter …
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Equity-Indexed Annuities As a Retirement Strategy
My Comments: With this topic, we’re dealing with mixed messages, both are in a foreign language. On one side are the brokerage firms and investment professionals whose expertise is probably exceptional, telling you what’s the best thing to do with your money. On the other side are insurance professionals whose income is largely a function …
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Strike Three: The Next Bear Market Ends The Game
Like a broken clock that’s right twice a day, I’ve been expecting a market crash for going on four years now. Will I ever be right? Most of us in the world of money don’t believe it’s different this time. And while none of us has a crystal ball, we’re almost unanimous there’s a bear …
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Build an Income-Producing Portfolio
My Comments: I’m increasingly reluctant to suggest what anyone should do with their money. But this article is consistent with what I’m doing with mine. The single most dramatic question when thinking about retirement is ‘Will I have enough money?’. It resonates with almost everyone sooner or later. With so many of us living longer …
What The “Big Money” Is Thinking
My Comments: Erik Conley’s blog has roughly 6,282 followers. I can only dream of having that many. This blog post of his summarizes Barron’s Big Money poll. He also says “…Big Money doesn’t necessarily mean Smart Money”. by Erik Conley / April 29, 2019 I've been an avid reader of Barron's magazine since the early …
6 Facts About Bonds You Need to Understand
My Comments: When you buy bonds, someone now owes you money. When you buy stocks, you now own part of a commercial enterprise, if not all of it. But this is about bonds. If you lend money to your kids, and expect them to pay you back, you may or may not charge them for …
What The Charts Say About A Possible 90% Drop In The Stock Market
My Comments: I don’t believe we’re going to see a 90% drop in the stock market. Period. What I do believe is that the longer we wait for the next crash, the deeper it’s going to be. If you have money somewhere that you plan to use for your retirement, you need to be very …
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Asset Allocation Explained
Most of us attempt to save money. We know there will come a time when what we save today will be needed to pay for things tomorrow. Our choices about how to do this are varied, mysterious, and confusing. Too often we take the easiest path and hope for the best. We congratulate ourselves for …
What are ETFs? Are They Different Than Mutual Funds?
My Comments: Chances are you’ve heard of ETFs (Exchange Traded Fund). They are not to be confused with EFTs (Electronic Fund Transfers). Though I suppose it’s possible to have both involved in a given transaction. Given that most of us now realize that fees imposed by Wall Street firms, and non-Wall Street Firms, can be, …
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Helping Define Your Financial Future 