THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – April 23, 2015

There is a positive correlation between the age of the advisor and the age of the client. I have few clients who are millenianals, but many who are roughly my age. And while I spend a lot of time helping them massage their retirement portfolios, one of the issues that surfaces frequently are the taxes …

Continue reading THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – April 23, 2015

THOUGHT FOR WEEK – April 15, 2015

My Comments: As usual, talking about long-term care with clients, friends and family members is often a difficult conversation. As a financial planner for whom the need for personal long-term care is an increasing possibility, I’m sensitive to articles I run across that offer choices. Here is one of them. I know this looks and …

Continue reading THOUGHT FOR WEEK – April 15, 2015

Life Insurance and Retirement

My Comments: This is not an easy idea to talk about. The article came from someone critical of Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman, who argue that premiums for life insurance in retirement are an extravagance. Some of the assumptions made by the author can be questioned, but the overall theme is essentially correct. Personally, I’ve …

Continue reading Life Insurance and Retirement

Clinton And Gender Politics No Simple Matter

My Comments: Unlike many men, especially those from the Middle East and other parts of the world, I’ve never been troubled by a cultural dictum that says women are inferior. I have no problem responding to real leadership no matter where it comes from. I have other faults but I don’t think this is one …

Continue reading Clinton And Gender Politics No Simple Matter

Long-Term Care and Who Will Pay For It

My Comments: Selling long-term care insurance has been a tough sell for me. It’s less appealing than life insurance and statistically, it’s less likely to happen than death. It’s an emotionally charged issue that’s hard to deal with rationally. The major player in the long-term care insurance policy world is Genworth Financial. They’re on the …

Continue reading Long-Term Care and Who Will Pay For It

The Myths of Buying Term and Investing the Difference

My Comments: Life insurance is a financial tool used to solve certain financial problems and offset the risk presented when someone dies and economic pain is the result. That’s a cold way to talk about the death of a loved one, but from an objective point of view, that’s how it must be seen. Because …

Continue reading The Myths of Buying Term and Investing the Difference

7 Things You Need to Know About Term Life Insurance

My Comments: It’s very easy for financial professionals of all stripes to get into heated arguments about the merits of life insurance. Or the lack of merits, depending on your perspective. A story I tell is about someone who in all seriousness asked “When is the best time to buy life insurance?”. And the answer …

Continue reading 7 Things You Need to Know About Term Life Insurance

Essential Legal and Financial Documents to Have

My Comments: This article appeared as An emergency checklist for advisors and clients: essential legal and financial documents. It caught my eye since lists are always useful when it comes to writing a blog post that someone might read. After all, I read this one. More than that, however, is the fact that getting older …

Continue reading Essential Legal and Financial Documents to Have

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – July 30, 2014

My Comments: I’m involved in a philosophical conflict these days between those on one side who believe there is a universal truth that says investment skill trumps traditional permanent life insurance every time. On the other side is someone who believes permanent life insurance trumps traditional investment methodologies. They argue vehemently that permanent life insurance …

Continue reading THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – July 30, 2014

What is an ILIT? Why Doctors and Business Owners Should Consider Having One

My Comments: A disclaimer here: I’m not an attorney. But Ike Devji is and I’ve followed him for some time and his writings are relevant and make sense. I’ve recently been involved in some discussions with physicians and business owners about life insurance. Their questions and criticisms almost universally reflect an ignorance about the topic …

Continue reading What is an ILIT? Why Doctors and Business Owners Should Consider Having One