Social Security Tips: How to Use File & Suspend

My Comments: I offer great thanks to the author of the following article, Michael Kitces. You’ll find his credits at the end of this post. This will take a little time to read and understand. But if you are getting ready to file for Social Security benefits, or are just now starting to think about …

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What’s Happening In China These Days?

My Comments: China is today the 2nd largest and arguably the 2nd strongest economy in the world. It differs from us in a material way in that it has few of the myriad infrastructure elements of our economy, which have evolved over the past 235 years. In China, it’s very much a work in progress. …

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FIDUCIARY Defined

My Comments: A quick check using your smart phone will reveal that this word, used as a noun, means “... a person to whom property or power is entrusted for the benefit of another.” In addition, it can be used as an adjective, an example of which is fiduciary capacity or fiduciary duty or fiduciary …

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3 Common Medicare Questions and Answers

My Comments: As someone who has been enrolled in Medicare for 7 plus years now, I can attest to its value for both my wife and I. At our age, things start to go wrong, and having the ability to seek medical advice and remedies without breaking the bank is critical to our peace of …

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Health Care Costs: Still Going Up

My Comments: Many, if not most of us, are sick and tired of the arguments about ObamaCare, the nickname for the PPACA, passed by Congress and essentially OK’d by the Supreme Court. Between you and me it's here to stay, and yet needs a lot of adjustments to make it realistic and meaningful over time. …

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How to Get Tax-free Retirement Income With Life Insurance

My Comments: As a financial planner and insurance agent for almost 40 years, I’ve sold my share of life insurance policies. Many of them are still in force, though I have had my share of clients who pass away. The IRS is sensitive to those of us who promote the tax benefits of life insurance. …

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Are We Looking At A Bond Bubble?

My Comments: There are just as many ways to lose money with bonds as there are with stocks. The risk is different; what happens to interest rates in the future vs corporate earnings and their relative size. That’s an oversimplification but you get the idea. The chart above shows interest rates from 1790 – 2012. …

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10 Things You Must Know About Medicare

My Comments: The people at Kiplinger have created another great blog post for me to borrow. And if you insist, you have "my permission" to click on their links and get more good information from them. At the end of the day, however, you may need someone local, a dedicated, knowledgable professional whose experience over …

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Energy Price Spread: Natural Gas Vs. Crude Oil In The U.S.

My Comments: Followers of this blog may remember my frequent mention of Thomas P.M. Barnett, a prolific writer and thought leader on global economics and political forces. Years ago he said that within a couple of decades, the US would become a net exporter of energy. He asserted this transformation would re-write a lot of …

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It Is Informed Optimism To Wait For The Rain

My Comments: Yes, the title above is a little odd, but the word "optimism" caused me to stop and read. By every contemporary, standard definition, I am a “financial advisor”. That term is restricted, or should be, to those of us providing financial advice to clients that conforms to a fiduciary standard. Simply put, we …

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