Retirement Goals
Navigating Market Volatility: It’s All About Perspective
Market volatility makes investors nervous. Logically, we know markets go both up and down, and reaping the rewards of investing comes with a degree of risk. That’s easy to remember in times of growth, but it’s much harder when market volatility arrives and we feel compelled to take action based on emotions, not logic. With…
Read MoreRetirement Withdrawal Strategies
As hard as retirement saving and investing may seem, that’s the easy part. The real challenge is figuring out how to make your accumulated savings last throughout your and your spouse’s retirements. You need a strategy, and it’s best to have that strategy developed before retirement begins. Because life expectancy is longer these days,…
Read MoreThe Job Market in the Post-Pandemic Era
According to the most recent Future of Jobs Report by the World Economic Forum, 50% of employees will need new skills training by 2025 as the pace of technological innovation continues to grow. Among business leaders, 94% say they expect employees to learn new skills while on the job, compared to just 65% who made…
Read MorePost- Pandemic Job Market
While millions of workers have been laid off due to the coronavirus pandemic, many of those employers will be reopening and may or may not rehire those let go. Much depends on the direction of the outbreak: If it slows, then a phased rehiring could follow; if contagion ramps up, then many people could be…
Read MoreThe Coronavirus and Other Risks
One of the reasons investing never gets boring is because it is an ever-changing, never-sleeping industry that presents new opportunities — and new risks — every day. China, home to much of the world’s manufacturing, has been hard hit by the epidemic. In its wake, travel has been one of the first casualties. This…
Read MoreWhere Is Dad's Money?
Imagine if, sadly, Dad dies or becomes incapacitated. You’re in charge of handling all his financial affairs, from managing his investments to putting income sources in place for Mom. There’s just one problem: He was an old-school guy who never consolidated his assets or set up online accounts. Also, it appears he worked with different…
Read MoreWhy Buy an Annuity When the Market is Up?
Perhaps you are familiar with an annuity. The basic premise is that you convert a lump sum of money into a stream of income. Unlike an investment, once you commit a fixed amount of money to the insurance company, that company is contractually obligated to provide you a minimum level of income with the option…
Read MoreThe Art of Being Happy
When are we happiest? A new study by the Resolution Foundation reveals that the two ages when people tend to be their happiest are 16 and 70.1 This makes sense when you think about it. Sixteen is often the first time children get a taste of independence — they’re old enough to drive and yet…
Read MoreThe Fiduciary Standard: What It Means
Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor published the final regulation of what is known as the “Fiduciary Rule,” delaying implementation for 60 days from its scheduled start date. The newly expanded definition of fiduciary investment advice is scheduled to go into effect June 9, 2017.1 The rule holds certain financial professionals to a fiduciary standard…
Read MorePresident Roosevelt’s Influence in Challenging Times Still Resonates
When President Franklin D. Roosevelt was sworn into office in 1933, the United States was mired in the worst financial period of its history. FDR’s election came in the middle of The Great Depression, when unemployment reached 25 percent overall, and as high as 50 percent in some cities and industries. More than 9,000 banks…
Read More