Many investors own bonds or debt based investments as a strategy for balancing the short-term market risk historically associated with stocks.1 It's important to understand the characteristics of bonds when making decisions about how to invest. A bond is an "IOU" for money loaned by an...
Written by Mark Jaeger, ChFC®, CFP® - CCO/COO and Partner Original article posted on Market Watch here....
You may be able to use losses within your investment portfolio to help offset realized gains. If your losses exceed your gains, you can offset up to $3,000 per year of the difference against ordinary income. After factoring in federal income and capital gains taxes, the...
Your retirement plan is designed to help you meet two important objectives — beating inflation and pursuing your retirement savings goals. The challenge is finding the right mix to strive for both. Why Be Concerned With Inflation? Technically defined, inflation is the rising cost of goods and...
It's generally a good idea to review your employer-sponsored retirement savings plan at least once each year and when major life changes occur. If you haven't given your plan a thorough review within the last 12 months, now may be a good time to do...
What is it? In today's corporate environment, where cost cutting, restructuring, and downsizing are the norm, many employers are offering their employees early retirement packages. As you near retirement age, you may find yourself confronted with an offer from your employer for early retirement. Your employer...
Introduction Investment planning during retirement is not the same as investing for retirement and, in many ways, is more complicated. Your working years are your saving years. With luck, your income increases from year to year as you receive promotions and/or pay raises; those increases offer some...
You may be counting on funds from a defined benefit plan to help you achieve a comfortable retirement. Often referred to as traditional pension plans, defined benefit plans promise to pay you a specified amount at retirement. To help you understand the role a defined benefit...
Your goals and priorities will probably change as you plan to retire. Along with them, your insurance needs may change as well. Retirement is typically a good time to review the different parts of your insurance program and make any changes that might be needed. Stay...
Do you trust your investment prowess enough to put your 401(k) plan on the line? Don Uphouse, chief finance officer of Active Minerals International in Sparks, Md., does. The 59-year-old uses his company's brokerage window as a way to save and invest for retirement. "I'm a seasoned...