Today’s preretirees and retirees face several financial challenges in addition to concerns about the world we leave our children and grandchildren, as described in the first part of this series. To face these challenges, we’ll need to make many small, medium, and large steps in our lives that will improve our finances while helping to…
Read More “12 ways to make your retirement better for the planet” »
Given today’s challenging markets and unprecedented economic circumstances, a midyear review of your investments and wealth plan takes on a heightened sense of urgency this year. Stock prices are down, interest rates are up, the pandemic is still lurking and inflation hovers at a four-decade high. Add the looming retirement for many boomers, as well…
Read More “Opinion: 10 things to talk about with your financial adviser” »
Here’s how best to play the market for the rest of 2022: Don’t look. I offer this advice not because I believe the bear market will continue — though of course it could. I would offer the same advice if I thought the next leg of the bull market is about to begin. The reason…
The first half of 2022 has been a historically bad stretch for markets, and the carnage hasn’t been limited to stocks. As stocks and bonds have sold off in tandem, investors who for years have relied on the 60-40 portfolio – named because it involves holding 60% of one’s assets in stocks, and the remaining…
In bear markets, winnings tend to go to investors who focus on fundamentals, not fads, and who pick stocks based on traditional business principles rather than the latest experimentation in finance or society. Many stock investors are sidelined today, facing crushing losses in crypto or tech, and a general bruising across equities. They’re confused by…
Now may be a good time to do a Roth conversion. But, contrary to an argument that’s popular right now in financial planning circles, “the factors that make such a conversion a good or bad idea have nothing to do with the fact that the stock market is so much lower than where it stood…
The disconnect between healthy business performance and ailing share prices in 2022 will likely continue for megabanks through this year’s second-quarter earnings season, amid bear market conditions for stocks. Investors will likely be on the lookout for potential headwinds in loan growth and credit quality in the banking industry as JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPM,…
Investing conservatively is understandable, especially considering the uncertainty around the stock market and worrying about making your money stretch through a period of high inflation, but many investors are falling below the recommended amount of stocks in their portfolios, which could hurt their savings prospects later in life. The market is giving everyone a roller-coaster…
Read More “Scared of stocks? Most investors are too conservative with their retirement plans.” »
By the time you turn 65, you probably have a good feel for what health insurance does and doesn’t cover. But Medicare is a different beast – and there are some surprising things that don’t fall under Medicare’s umbrella. Medicare is the federal government’s health insurance coverage for people age 65 and older, and other…
Read More “Do you know the things Medicare doesn’t cover, and will you be able to afford them?” »
Credit card debt can be difficult to manage even in the best of times, but increasingly high interest rates are adding to that challenge. In June, the Federal Reserve announced a 0.75% increase to the federal funds rate – its largest hike in almost 30 years. Increases to this rate tend to make borrowing more…
