With stock indices continuing to set new highs, does this mean negative returns for stocks are on the horizon? If prices increasing over time was a troubling development, what would be the point of investing at all? You would think investors would realize there is no potential for future gain, and not invest. So why do […]
There’s no shame not understanding your medical bills. They’re filled with medical gobbledygook to the normal person. This is especially frightening when they get large. You certainly don’t want unpaid bills being sent to a collection agency where your credit score will be hurt. Many bills may have common errors and hospital bills tend to […]
What is Robo-Advising? From Widipedia: “Legally, the term “financial advisor” applies to any entity giving advice about securities. But most robo-advisors limit themselves to providing portfolio management (i.e. allocating investments among asset classes) without addressing issues such as estate and retirement planning and cash-flow management, which are also the domain of financial planning.” So, […]
I discussed how inheritances can go amuck and the heirs don’t get the inheritance – the State does. This can happen while you’re still alive too! Did you know that the State can claim your IRA (or any account for that matter) due to inactivity? A couple of articles to drive the issue home: Protect client […]
DOW 20,000. Is that good? Or is that bad? Guess what – this is simply another way point much like DOW 15,000 was, or DOW 10,000, or pick any DOW number. The Power of the Markets Markets don’t know your specific emotions and behaviors – so the markets march on ignoring them. It is best […]
Before you consider obtaining more debt for a mortgage, how much mortgage should you get? Lenders look at what is called your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio (with target ratio percentages). So what is your DTI ratio? This calculator determines your DTI for you and also discusses the various considerations debt may have. Both sites above help […]
“Wealth, Poverty and Politics: An International Perspective” by Thomas Sowell is a great read for deeper insight into what may cause inequality and how that may even be defined in the first place. In plain English, Sowell discusses how wealth and income was distributed differently in times past. For example how ancient Rome far exceeded […]
You or a loved one may recall having a pension benefit but didn’t claim it or lost track of it. There are a couple of resources to help you, or you help your loved one, track it down. The Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) has a tool on their site to find an unclaimed pension. The site […]
On occasion I change my mind on a topic when the facts have changed. Reverse Mortgages are in that category. The program has undergone many improvements as a result of the Reverse Mortgage Stabilization Act of 2013. Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM) are called Reverse Mortgages for short. “HECMs help seniors remain financially secure by […]
Where did the idea of retirement at age 65 come from? Retirement is really a 20th Century concept since people worked on their farm until they passed away. “The story of retirement is ultimately a history of trends in labor force participation of older men (since women only entered the workforce in large numbers in […]
