Posted by Richard on June 9, 2015
The disadvantages, if any, may stem from the financial trade-offs that a mortgage holder needs to make when paying off the mortgage. Paying it off typically requires a cash outlay equal to the amount of the principal. If the principal is sizeable, this payment could potentially jeopardize a middle-income family’s ability to save for […]
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Bonds are popular investment vehicles because they pay interest income with a promise to pay back the initial investment after an agreed-upon period of time. Bond mutual funds may be even more popular among those seeking an income component in their portfolio because they offer a lower-cost, professionally managed, diversified alternative to individual bonds. However, […]
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A flexible spending account (FSA), offered as an elective benefit by many employers, permits workers to contribute, through payroll deduction, to accounts that are designated for specific qualifying medical or dental expenses. If your employer makes an FSA available, the account typically is used in conjunction with your employer-sponsored medical plan for out-of-pocket costs not […]
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Investors are exposed to financial risk in two ways: company-specific risk or market risk. Long-term investors can virtually eliminate exposure to company-specific risk by diversifying among many different securities in the same asset class.1 Market risk is managed — but not eliminated — by holding investments in several different asset classes. Both types of […]
Read More →Posted by Richard on May 7, 2015
For many individuals collecting artwork, jewelry, antiques, and other vintage treasures is a lifelong passion. Deciding what is to become of your valuable personal assets when you are no longer around to care for them is not something to take lightly, particularly when it comes to planning for the distribution of your estate. Let’s […]
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Long-term investment goals are as unique as the people who set them. Some investors set their sights on building a dream home; others may be looking to launch a new business. Still others seek the more traditional long-term goals of a comfortable retirement or funding a child’s education. No matter how they differ, all long-term […]
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The issue of health care costs in retirement — and planning for them well in advance of retirement — is becoming a centerpiece of any retirement planning discussion. A recent study by Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) projected that in 2014, men and women who wanted a 90% chance of having enough money to […]
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The old saying “knowledge is power” applies to many situations in life, including retirement planning. The more you know about the benefits your plan offers, the more likely you’ll be to make the most of them and come out ahead financially when it’s time to retire. Here are some questions to test your knowledge […]
Read More →Posted by Richard on April 14, 2015
Americans are living longer, healthier lives, and this trend is affecting how they think about and plan for retirement. For instance, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, the age at which workers expect to retire has been rising slowly over the past couple of decades. In 1991, just 11% of workers expected to retire […]
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If you are researching new investment avenues, chances are “evaluating risk” tops your checklist. Financial experts have developed many methods for measuring risk, but beta and standard deviation are two of the most popular and useful options. Beta calculates how much (or how little) an investment’s price varies relative to a specific benchmark. For stocks, […]
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