Thursday, December 8, 2022
You may have seen the quips about how this year the 401k accounts of many have become “201k” accounts this year due to the bear market for both stocks and bonds. Hardly funny. So if you want to be able to stop worrying about your retirement income, read on… 2022 has proven the traditional retirement […]
For the holiday, I traveled to be with my elderly parents. They are at an age when medical issues start to catch up and make life challenging. Helping them for the last few years has taught me some lessons that we all should heed, whether we are still working or in retirement. My parents are […]
This year is on pace to be the worst in history for the standard 401k investment strategy. A balanced portfolio of stock and bond index funds has performed terribly in 2022. Workers who get their third-quarter 401k statements will be shocked. Today, let’s discuss why this happened and how to do better… The traditional 60/40 […]
What is a Self-directed IRA? A self-directed IRA is a type of individual retirement account designed to allow investors to diversify their retirement nest egg beyond traditional investments like stocks, bonds, ETFs and other high-risk alternatives. This individual retirement account is legally structured to work just like a Roth IRA and so, a self-directed IRA […]
There is a pending retirement crisis for U.S. workers, and the only solution is to take your future into your own hands. So today, let’s talk about a strategy to ensure your retirement years will be as you hope and dream. I receive a daily email from a business and tech news service called The […]
When the Fed bailed out the banks in 2008, interest rates dropped to historic lows. Many retirees were heavily invested in CDs and quality bonds earning a safe 6% interest, paying their bills, and enjoying their golden years. Overnight, trillions in CDs and bonds were called in, savers lost a major portion of their anticipated […]
What the heck is going on? In the fourth quarter, I was housebound due to medical issues. When cleared to travel in late December I bought tickets to spend Christmas with the grandchildren. I was shocked, airfares doubled over last year. Might it be because I was a last-minute flyer? When I booked our return […]
I like to close out each year with a mentoring article. Something from the heart, out of the mainstream, and lead into the new year on a positive note. MarketWatch labeled me a RetireMentor. I enjoy sharing my life experiences, good and bad, in hopes of helping others through their journey. I’ve had some medical […]
Dear Reader, A recent Wall Street Journal article, “The Rules of Retirement Spending Are Changing,” did not bring good news. Instead, the article clearly reveals that traditional financial planning rules for retirement will not work for those who have diligently saved to fund a comfortable life after decades of work. I want to propose a […]
My friend Tim Plaehn never ceases to amaze me with his research. He recently wrote about stocks with a declared dividend, plus a variable dividend on top of it. Sounds cool…but…. I called him to share a bad experience. Right after the 2008 bailout, a mining company offered a guaranteed dividend increase based on gold […]
