Remember that the major indices don’t represent the entirety of Wall Street. The S&P 500 is up about 10% YTD, why aren’t I? If your investments are lagging the broad benchmark, you may be asking that very question. The short answer is that the S&P is...
Corporations are transferring pension liabilities to third parties. Where does this leave retirees? A new phrase has made its way into the contemporary financial jargon: derisking. Anyone with assets in an old-school pension plan should know what that phrase signifies. The derisking trend began in 2012. In...
Plan to put yourself steps ahead of your peers. If you have a young, growing family, no doubt your to-do list is pretty long on any given day. Beyond today, you are probably working on another kind of to-do list for the long term. Where...
Are you marrying soon? Have you recently married? As you begin your life together, it's important for you to start planning your financial future together and putting your finances on the same page. Here are some priorities you might want to write down on your...
When you turn 50, retirement starts to seem less abstract. In terms of retirement planning, a 50th birthday can act as a wake-up call. It may offer a powerful reminder to trailing-edge baby boomers and Gen Xers, many of whom are wrapping up their second...
Women are taking action to approach retirement with greater confidence. Somerecent, intriguing survey data indicates that women are planning their financial futures with some degree of pragmatism, but also with considerable motivation. One of the key motivations, it seems, is receiving financial advice. Results from a new...
Are 90% of articles written about retirement pessimistic? Sometimes it seems that way. Repeatedly, we are reminded that most baby boomers haven’t saved enough for the future. There’s no denying this, but the media is giving short shrift to other, more positive developments that may be...
A little inflation means a little adjustment. As the Consumer Price Index is up 1.7% over the last 12 months, the federal government is giving Social Security benefits a 1.7% boost for 2015 and lifting annual contribution limits on key pension plans as well.1 401(k), 403(b),...
No money secrets should stand between the two of you as you wed. No married couple should suffer from financial infidelity. If you hide debt, income or assets from your spouse, it can lead to a fight and possibly even an impasse in your relationship. Communication &...
The year in brief. When 2013 ended, few Wall Street investment strategists had high hopes for the market – the thought was that the S&P 500 would post a single-digit advance for 2014. In fact, a Birinyi & Associates survey of said strategists produced a...