Reports

There are three basic categories of investments: • moderate • conservative • aggressive Aggressive instruments are those primarily invested in for growth. As the chart shows, they include things such as common stocks, stock mutual funds, commodities, and speculative real estate. Again, these are typically invested in for growth or capital appreciation, not income. They …

Introduction to the Universe of Non-Stock Market Income-Generating Investments Read More »

Before you retire, you should know what all your various sources of income will be, and how much you can expect to receive from each. Obviously, Social Security benefits will be one of those sources, but how much you can expect to receive depends on many factors. There are ways to help maximize your benefits …

Understanding and Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits Read More »

Nothing exists in a vacuum, meaning that even if you’ve determined the best time and method of taking your Social Security benefits based on your age, objectives, and lifelong earnings, it won’t matter unless you properly coordinate your benefits with your overall retirement income plan. Most people agree that Social Security is not enough to …

Are Your Allocations Right for Social Security? Read More »

There is an ideal order in which to pull from retirement accounts when taking IRS Required Minimum Distributions (RMD). The goals, which often go unheeded, are to help minimize taxes, help minimize taking principal, and earn as much as possible. These goals are easy enough to understand, but there are many factors to consider. It …

Are Your Allocations Right for RMDs? Read More »

Have you ever bought a pair of pants for your child or grandchild that were too big? It’s a common occurrence, and when it happens, you basically have two options: 1) you can throw the pants in the wash and try to shrink them, or 2) you can just sit back knowing that your child …

Market Math Made Simple Read More »

If you’re like most people, you believe there’s a great deal of truth in the old adage that history tends to repeat itself more often than not. That’s an important adage to keep in mind when it comes to saving and investing for retirement because it allows you to get a glimpse into the future …

The Hard Lessons of Stock Market History Read More »

The great Alabama coach “Bear” Bryant once said, “Defense wins championships,” and you canbet that almost every great coach in nearly every sport has shared that same philosophy. Just think about some of the great sports dynasties, teams that won championships year after year: the Green Bay Packers under Vince Lombardi, the Boston Celtics under …

The Importance of Financial Defense Read More »