My Comments: I’m really conflicted about what to tell my clients about their investments. On one hand I’m persuaded that a severe correction is coming soon, and on the other, there is something going on that suggests otherwise. Damn, I wish I had a crystal ball. Stephanie Flanders | July 26, 2016 | The Financial …
Tag: retire
Need More Money?
My Comments: We live in a society where having more money is considered better than having less money. Would you agree? That being said, many of us who are now retired or retired and are now working again, are trying to figure out how much we need. There is no definitive answer for any of …
Undeniable Evidence That The Real Economy Is Already In Recession Mode
My Comments: I have clients positioned in investments that gained in excess of 40% in 2008 and 2009. But they are upset because they lost money last year. Knowing that the bull market was long in the tooth, I made the argument that a defensive posture would bode well for their money and their future …
Continue reading Undeniable Evidence That The Real Economy Is Already In Recession Mode
A DIVIDED AMERICA: Rural vs. Urban
My Comments: Economic reality drives most lives today. It shapes our ideas about politics, about family, about national security, and our fears. Almost all of us agree that life is better with more money than with less money. So where you live has a huge influence on your economic reality, and as a result, how …
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, …
Young People Just Got Brexited by Their Parents
My Comments: As someone with strong personal ties to Britain and the United Kingdom (I was born there in 1941), the vote to leave is profoundly shocking. One of my grandfathers and my favorite uncle served in the British Army during the Great War. They somehow came home alive. My father and his brother fought …
Continue reading Young People Just Got Brexited by Their Parents
Social Security Recipients May Regret This Decision
My Comments: The default decision for many is to simply sign up for benefits when they reach age 62. The argument is they’ve put money in the system for years, the system might go broke, and it’s time to get rather than give before it's too late. But the demographics suggest this may not be …
Continue reading Social Security Recipients May Regret This Decision
How to Trump-proof Your Portfolio
My Comments: This is not intended as a political statement. However, clients are asking me whether there are likely to be economic consequences, and therefore an impact on their investment portfolios, if Donald Trump wins the Presidency. These comments appeared in The Financial Times and may or may not apply to you. Gillian Tett – …
Why Retirement Is a Flawed Concept
My Comments: Did you see the recent study that suggested continued part time work had a very positive effect on your health? My impression is that if you retire without a manifest new purpose in life, you are essentially sitting around waiting to die. I am aggressively filling my time with activities that reflect my …
Read This Before You Take Social Security Benefits
My Comments: Social Security is a complicated topic. If you are not yet 70 years old, and/or have not yet committed to how you will take your Social Security benefits, you should read this. With so many variables, the typical process for making a good decision is total confusion for most people, even financial planners. …
Continue reading Read This Before You Take Social Security Benefits
Helping Define Your Financial Future 