Please enjoy this 1-minute video (for those receiving this by email: please click on the blog title line above to view). What is inflation? In economics, inflation refers to a general progressive increase in prices of goods and services in an economy. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, […]
Archive | Current Events
Appealing the IRMAA (What’s that? Ans: Higher Medicare Part B & D premiums)
How do you appeal the Medicare Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount, or IRMAA? Amid the long checklist of things you must do at retirement, this can easily be overlooked, causing you to pay more in Medicare premiums than you need to. The IRMAA was first enacted in 2003 as a provision of the Medicare Modernization Act […]
What’s the Difference Between Advisers?
You’ve probably had experiences with different “advisers” without even realizing it (even at your bank). “Adviser” is a broad term ill-defined in the financial services profession. A key part of financial education is to become more aware of what kind of “adviser” are you talking with (not only me, but with any other as well)? […]
A Brief History of Doom.
Well written, easy to read, no financial background required, on why financial crises happen. The author puts together a very well-developed argument as what causes financial crises by looking at many historical events worldwide and piecing together the data to support this insight. Note: This post was written some months ago and scheduled to post […]
How Do You Know if Diminished Financial Capacity Has Crept in?
By definition, you don’t recognize the signs of diminished financial capacity. You need to rely on others for this. And as you’ll see below, relying on others presents a dilemma! This is not something to be ashamed of – it’s a natural order of aging. For some slowing down comes earlier, for others later. The […]
Americans lose trillions claiming Social Security at the wrong time!
The age at which most people claim Social Security (green line) is opposite to the age at which they SHOULD claim Social Security (purple line in graph above). According to The Retirement Solution Hiding in Plain Sight: How Much Retirees Would Gain by Improving Social Security Decisions, “retirees will collectively lose $3.4 trillion in potential income […]
Incapacity planning for Social Security
As the Coronavirus continues to put people of all walks of life in hospitals and on ventilators, the necessity of incapacity planning is starting to hit home. The question now isn’t so much “what if I die?” (although there’s that, too), but “what if I’m unable to speak for myself? Who will take care of […]
Pandemics and Your Money.
Pandemics, like the diseases themselves, run their course. The coronavirus will also run its course, as will its impact on global markets. This article isn’t about COVID-19. Rather this piece is about human nature and investing, and by extension, the success or failure of your long-term financial plan. What really should be unexpected in this […]
What are Heir’s Considerations Now for Inherited Retirement Accounts?
The SECURE Puzzle This article will discuss HOW a heir may distribute Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) over the 10 year period that results from the SECURE Act of 2019*. The pertinent details of the Act relevant to this article will be discussed later. The below applies to any qualified retirement funds an heir may inherit. […]
How do those “free dinners” really work?
You’ve probably got a dinner invitation in your mail. Free dinners are popular marketing ploys. “The hook” is the free meal. You bite. The salesperson reels you in with a compelling presentation. They land you when you buy what they’re pitching. No surprise – typically it’s an annuity. Why typically? Because they have high commissions, […]