Everything You Need to Know About Social Security

My Comments: The monthly income my wife and I get from SSA is a significant part of our financial freedom. We paid into the system for 50 plus years and while I like to think I’m just getting my money back, it’s really much more than that. As a financial planner and investment advisor for …

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The Fed’s Rate Hike – What it Means

My Comments: In the past months and years I’ve featured the comments of Scott Minerd, the Chairman of Investment and CIO of Guggenheim Partners. This organization is not big, relatively speaking, as they ONLY have about $250 billion under management. (I could live very well on a tiny fraction of what that amount earns every …

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Very Strong Jobs Numbers Underpinned By Wages

My Comments: Politicians of all stripes consider employment numbers relevant, and well they should. Right now we have the lowest unemployment numbers in this country that we’ve seen for a long time. And it’s all because of that idiot in the White House. This came from a group called Bespoke Investment Group, a name I …

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Is The Correction Over?

My Comments: We all want it to be over, but despite what this guy says, it may just be wishful thinking… Oct. 27, 2015 By Luciano Siracusano, III Back on July 20, with U.S. stock indexes not far from their yearly highs, I said on CNBC that I expected the market to become choppier over …

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Brazil Heads Closer To Total Collapse

My Comments: Many are waiting for the penny to drop indicating a new global recession and collapse of the stock markets. Is this it? Oct. 19, 2015 by Ian Bezek Summary Brazil's economic "Superman" may have resigned Friday, according to conflicting media reports. Brazilian shares and currency fell sharply after Friday's market close. His departure …

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Should You Pay Off That Mortgage Before Retirement? Not Necessarily

My Comments: In all my years as a financial planner, the mantra has been to make sure the mortgage goes to zero at about the time you retire and quit working for money. The crash of 2008-2009 has made this very difficult for a lot of people. Another strategy, not referenced by Kiesnoski, is to …

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Hump Day – New Disease Identified

My Comments: Mindful that life is short and it’s too easy to take oneself seriously all the time, it occurred to me that each Wednesday, or Hump Day, it might make sense to share something not so serious. With the GOP debates tonight on CNN, keep this in mind if you plan to watch them. …

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Fixed Indexed Annuities: Good, Bad or Ugly?

My Comments: In many circles, a FIA, or fixed index annuity, is an evil thing. As a professional retirement income planner, I believe they can be a lifesaver for many people. That billions of dollars flow into FIAs annually tells me nothing; we have less than sophisticated buyers being sold stuff by self-serving salesmen just …

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A Painful but Healthy Adjustment

My Comments: Reassuring comments here from a trusted thinker on the markets. No guarantees but if you have at least a 5 year time horizon, we will be OK. Just don’t get caught up in the media rhetoric and the pointing of fingers. Almost all of it is stupid, ill informed, and self-serving. Life happens, …

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2 Phase Bear Markets

My Comments: This is a great overview that needs to be read and understood if you have money in the markets, especially retirement money. If you know how, you can find ways to make it grow when everyone around you is falling backwards. There is a link so you can see the great visuals and …

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