My Comments: The first monthly Social Security income benefit ever paid was to Ida May Fuller on January 30, 1940. Today, some 77 years later, it is a critical income source for millions of Americans. This article by Sean Williams confirms the role Social Security plays in the lives of millions of Americans, and I’m …
Continue reading A Majority of Working Americans Are Completely Wrong About Social Security
My Comments: Retirement is the third stage of our lives. #1 is childhood when our needs are provided for by adults; #2 is adulthood when our needs are met by our efforts; and #3, retirement when you quit working for money and money has to work for you. If you’re lucky, you don’t need to …
Continue reading How to Pay Off Your Mortgage Before You Retire
My Comments: You’ve heard me say that income inequality is the greatest existential threat to our society going forward. If we allow the disparity between the haves and the have nots to become wider and wider, it’s only a matter of time before chaos will reign. People want what money will buy. Companies will manufacture …
Continue reading X Marks the Spot Where Inequality Took Root: Dig Here
My Comments: In light of what happened in Las Vegas and the death of Tom Petty, my comments here are woefully inadequate. But with many millions of us still trying to function on this planet, sooner or later our thoughts will return to Social Security. While the above referenced Budget Resolution may have changed somewhat, …
My Comments: We’re in the middle of a national re-assessment of who we are as a nation, what we value, and how we want our lives to play out going forward. It’s a stressful time for a lot of reasons. Our nation today is very, very different from the one found by father and his …
My Comments: You should read this If you are an employee of a public school district, or a charity, or a foundation, or a church based enterprise. Under the Obama administration, rules from the Department of Labor (DoL) were proposed that imposed what is known as a fiduciary standard on any individual or company engaged …
Continue reading DOL fiduciary rule won’t help some 403(b) retirement plans
My Comments: If you are already retired, don’t bother with this. If you haven’t yet retired, there may be something here for you. Waiting for retirement is like watching grass grow, or watching a car rust. You lose interest in a hurry. The problem is it’s going to happen, whether you pay attention or not. …
Continue reading Retirement Planning Strategies for Clients in Their 50s
I’m part of our aging workforce. I’m semi-retired, spending less money every month than I used to, and knowing that I have far fewer years to live than those in my children’s generation. To have the same successful retirement that I’m hoping for, they will be fighting the same battles I’ve fought, but likely for …
My Comments: The older you are in your journey toward retirement, the more important these four risks become in your quest for a successful retirement. The sooner you are aware of them, and understand how to manage these risks, the better your outcome. This came into my inbox from Merrill Lynch, with no named author …
Continue reading 4 Big Retirement Risks—and How to Prepare for Them
My Comments: Today is Tuesday so today I talk about Social Security. These comments by Dan Caplinger may be old news, but for those of you just starting to think about retirement, know that Social Security is a fundamental income component for millions of people. Chances are, you'll be in that group. The sooner you …
Continue reading Are You Ready to Take Social Security Benefits?
Helping Define Your Financial Future 