It’s easy to dream about the future, but it’s much more difficult to make a realistic plan to achieve those dreams. This is true of any stage in life. But when it comes to retirement, we find that many pre-retirees make assumptions that are not only untrue in many cases but can prevent them from [...]
We often remind our clients that entering retirement without debt is one of the smartest steps you can take. Not only is debt stressful and costly; you’ll enjoy your retirement income much more if you feel free of prior obligations. However, not all retirees were able to follow this advice, and some even incur more [...]
During the retirement planning process, many clients are surprised to learn that Medicare won’t cover all of their medical costs. Yes, we all pay for the program and expect to enroll at age 65, but it’s not really that different from the health insurance plans you’ve utilized throughout the years. You will still be subject [...]
Investment Commentary – April 11, 2023 Year to Date Market Indices as of April 11, 2023 • Dow 33,684(1.62%) • S&P 4,108 (7.02%) • NASDAQ 12,031 (14.96%) • OIL $81.46 (1.18%) • Barclay Bond Aggregate (2.91%) • Gold (10.32%) When is the last day to file taxes in 2023? April 18 is the federal tax [...]
Sometimes, those planning for retirement focus so much on building their assets, that they forget to plan for those assets in the event that they pass away. But at any age, estate planning is a crucial part of life that deserves a few moments of our attention. When you take the time to designate beneficiaries [...]
Investment Commentary – March 23, 2023 Year to Date Market Indices as of March 23, 2023 • Dow 32,312 (-3.65%) • S&P 3,989 (2.29%) • NASDAQ 12,824 (14.92%) • OIL $70.53(-12.43%) • Barclay Bond Aggregate (2.85%) • Gold 1,974 (7.87%) Fed hikes rates by a quarter percentage point, indicates increases are near an end WASHINGTON [...]
Investment Commentary – March 15, 2023 Year to Date Market Indices as of March 15, 2023 • Dow 31,721 (-4.63%) • S&P 3,867 (0.42%) • NASDAQ 11,310 (7.91%) • OIL $68.39 (-15.35%) • Barclay Bond Aggregate (1.35%) • Gold 1,930 (4.54%) Inflation gauge increased 0.4% in February, as expected and up 6% from a year [...]
As you may have gleaned from years of headlines on the topic, the Social Security program faces a number of problems in the future. One of those is the fact that by about 2035, the program won’t bring in enough revenue (from taxes) to pay all currently scheduled benefits. And as we all know, the [...]
If you feel exhausted by your daily commute or fed up with office politics, you’re probably counting down the day until retirement. Or you might truly enjoy your job, but wish you had more time for family, friends, or hobbies. Whatever your reasoning, it’s normal to wish retirement could happen right now. Oddly enough, that [...]
Some people love working… And then there’s everyone else. If you’re feeling antsy to retire soon, stop and ask yourself these three questions to assess your knowledge and readiness. Retirement planning is composed of many important factors. But if you can answer these questions confidently, you’re probably getting close to retirement! What is your plan [...]