Summer heat, afternoon storms, the July 4th weekend. We got a note recently from a cousin who spent time in Iraq and is now living in Los Angeles. He described a family he befriended in Baghdad who subsequently moved to Europe. They have enough money to visit him in California. But they also wanted to …
Tag: financial planning
How Long Will You Live?
This calculator estimates your life expectancy. It was developed by Northwestern Mutual Life. It's interesting that there are only 13 questions; yet, they can predict how long you're likely to live. CALCULATOR
The Long-Term Care Conundrum
For many readers, the term "Long-Term Care" belongs in a foreign dictionary. Its an obscure concept that has very little relevance to them. At least until one of their parents faces the prospect of assisted living or perhaps something more serious. Or something unexpected and bad happens to you. In the traditional sense, you can …
The Divided States of Europe
Critical explanation from Stratfor about Europe. Like it or not, these events will greatly influence how your investments perform over the next several months. Here is a key paragraph: "That is because the real crisis is the more fundamental question of how the European continent is to be ruled in the 21st century. Europe has …
The Truth About the Economy…
Robert Reich is Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley. He has served in three national administrations, most recently as secretary of labor under President Bill Clinton. He has written thirteen books, including The Work of Nations, Locked in the Cabinet, Supercapitalism, and his most recent book, Aftershock. One can …
The Case for Alternative Investments – Part V
In my last post on this subject, I referenced a small selection of investments that employ "alternative investments" in their portfolio mix. Today, I'm going to describe a stand alone option. Technically, its a hedge fund, and as such, you are required to meet a personal financial threshold before you can buy into it. But …
Continue reading The Case for Alternative Investments – Part V
Captial Markets Insight – June 27, 2011
Here’s your Weekly Insights update from Curian’s Asset Management Group. This informative capital market update is designed to help you stay informed about important developments from the past week, as well as provide thoughtful commentary on how these events might... Continue reading...
Top 10 Worst Tax States for Retirees
Some states offer attractive tax benefits for retirees, others don’t. Kiplinger runs through the worst (or "tax hells," as the magazine bluntly states). Many, surprisingly, are in the Northeast United States. If you are looking for an inexpensive place to settle down following a life long career, you'll do well to avoid the following states. …
Investment Markets Today
If you are committed to making your own investment decisions, based on your personal observations about the markets, here is what one of our third party investment managers is telling us today: "As we enter a new trading window, we are coming off a volatile period within the market. After trading down to nearly 1265 …
Commonsense Ways To Fix Social Security
As someone who has willingly accepted Social Security payments monthly for about four years, I have no strong motivation to upset the status quo. However, and this is a big however, I understand that the current path is not sustainable. When it began in the 30's, there were less than 3 people getting benefits for …
Helping Define Your Financial Future 