My Comments: I’ve been a registered Democrat since I first registered to vote back in 1962. Back then you had to be registered as a Democrat if you wanted to participate in the primary elections. Republicans only showed up on the November ballot. Democrats lay claim to a higher level of tolerance for those whose …
Tag: financial planner
Social Security Tips for Couples
My Comments: More ideas about the ongoing saga of when and how to best apply for Social Security benefits. 02/24/2016 There are many benefits to marriage, but one you may not yet have considered is the flexibility married couples enjoy when deciding how and when to claim Social Security. Even though the basic rules apply …
Saving enough to live to age 100 not a very useful goal
My Comments: If you are approaching the age when retirement is on your mind, a critical question is always “how are you going to pay for it?”. Experts are telling us there is a new risk to be aware of, and it’s called longevity risk. Simply put, it’s the threat posed by living beyond your …
Continue reading Saving enough to live to age 100 not a very useful goal
10 Retirement Decisions You Will Regret Forever
My Comments: This list comes from Kiplinger, and is relevant to many of the people I talk with daily. I’ve only include two of the ten here. To to find the rest you’ll need to click on any of the images which will take you to the Kiplinger site. If for any reason, they block …
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11 Medicare Mistakes to Avoid
My Comments: If you are 65 and older, Medicare is fantastic. Okay, it has its limitations, but coupled with what is known as a MediGap or MedSup plan, it’s fantastic. You can argue all you want about how this country is slowly sinking into a socialist morass, but when you reach my age, health issues …
The Governing Cancer of Our Time
My Comments: Like most everyone else, I’m alarmed by the negativity and frantic rhetoric that is pervasive these days. I’ve tried to get used to it, but am not sure I should get used to it. I know that whatever is in the past is forever in the past and I can only observe the …
Will You Regret Taking Social Security ASAP?
My Comments: Too many people choose to take early benefits. If you need the money, hate your job, don’t have a job, plan to die soon, or simply don’t have confidence in your life, then maybe it’s OK. But it usually turns out to be a mistake. There is a do over, but you have …
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Will Trumpism Outlive Trump?
My Comments: Before you criticize me for posting what appears to be a political comment, consider what I think is the takeaway phrase from the following dialog: “Trump doesn’t matter, Trump’s voters do”. There’s a reason there are so many pissed off people on both sides of the Atlantic. And unless and until our elected …
Claiming Social Security at Full Retirement Age is Often a Mistake
My Comments: The headline above should probably read ‘Sometimes’ instead of ‘Often’. It depends to some extent on when you die. Since that date is completely unknown, the only solution is to play the odds, and my recommendation these days is to assume you will live to be 100. That’s the conservative approach. Unless you …
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Secondary Market Annuities (SMA)
My Thoughts: Last month I posted about having stock positions in your retirement portfolio and how much was appropriate. This post is about another option where there are no stocks at all, only a promise by an insurance company to return all your money to you, over time, at a guaranteed rate of interest. Typically, …
Helping Define Your Financial Future 