It’s a question that could not be more relevant for those planning to retire in the near future than it is right now: Should you delay retirement in light of recent market volatility? The answer offered by the author of today’s article is “You probably should – but that’s not the whole story.” So what is the “whole story” on…
“This is very disconcerting and very bad timing,” says Tracy Donaldson, a newly retired Floridian who had the extremely bad luck of retiring the same week the Dow dropped significantly on coronavirus fears. But while Donaldson’s guaranteed pension and Social Security mean he’ll be fine even in the event of a lengthy downturn, many retirees may find themselves in a…
When it comes to Social Security benefits, the author of today’s article points out an unfortunate reality: “Many retirees are depending on their benefits for a substantial source of income, yet they don’t fully understand how to maximize those monthly checks.” She proceeds to outline a little-known Social Security strategy for couples that, while perhaps not a pleasant one to…
What is the more important investment decision when it comes to your retirement portfolio: asset allocation (how much to allocate to various asset classes) or security selection (which specific securities to purchase to fulfill your asset allocation)? For many investors – and retirement planners – the answer has long been the latter (security selection), but a new study suggests that…
What are your chances of getting rich? That depends to a large extent on where you fall in what the author of today’s article calls the “Getting Rich Quadrant”, which considers the combination of one’s income (high or low) and cost of living (high or low) – and depending on your particular combination, you could be well on your way…
When it comes to investing for retirement, the author of today’s article argues that “While there has been an explosion in passive investing in recent years, investing specifically in your area of expertise can give you a leg up.” How? By using a self-directed account that allows you to make investments in alternative asset classes associated with that area of…
“With powerful demographic forces keeping interest rates lower for longer, investors (and financial advisors!) need to adjust their thinking for the future,” declares the author of today’s article, who cites a report from Morgan Stanley warning that, over the next 10 years, returns from a traditional 60/40 portfolio will be close to a century low. So what can investors do…
With longer life expectancies and lower interest rates, among other factors, the traditional 60/40 portfolio “just won’t be able to cut it anymore”, according to some financial experts. Instead, greater allocations to equities will be needed – and dividend stocks will become the new bonds for retirement. One place investors can look for higher yields for their retirement portfolios? Business…
“The only thing that matters to me in the short-term is my dividends,” declares the author of today’s article when it comes to his retirement portfolio. As a result, he only checks the value of his retirement portfolio once a year. Between those yearly reviews, he notes, “I’m collecting an exponentially growing stream of safe dividends that put me closer…
Despite having spent decades studying money and finances, the author of today’s article reveals that “it took [him] a decade or more to learn many of life’s most important money lessons and, indeed, some key insights have only come to [him] in recent years.” Among those lessons are “the key to a big portfolio” and what should be – and…