Financial Planning 101: What Should You Do With Your Old 401(k) or 403(b)?
I often get the question of what to do with an old 401(k) or 403(b) sitting with a former employer. In short, there are only a few circumstances where you would want to leave it be, but in those circumstances it can be extremely advantageous to do so. So, when should you leave the […]
What Per Stirpes Means in Your Estate Plan
Per Stirpes is a term you must learn about in order to build a successful estate plan. It is a Latin term meaning “per branch”. Sometimes it is omitted from beneficiary forms, wills, and trusts with sometimes devastating consequences. Per Stirpes is an important term because it indicates how property should be distributed in the event […]
What Now For the Markets – November 2018
Scary Movie Part 2 Just in time for Halloween the stock market has pulled back from its all-time highs and volatility has returned in the form of daily changes of more than 1%. After being up nearly 10% this year, the market- as measured by the S&P 500 index, is flat to slightly down as […]
What Kind of Life Insurance Do You Need?
Life insurance can be a confusing topic. There are many different flavors and choosing the right coverage for your needs and budget can be difficult. Throw in the fact that life insurance agents goal of collecting a commission check may be at odds with your goal of obtaining the best protection for the lowest price […]
What Is Slowing the Economy and Why it Matters to Investors
By James Liu, CFA Some investors and economists have been worried about a recession for some time. This is only natural after over a decade of steady economic growth and the spectacular rise of both stocks and bonds. On the one hand, the economy is still quite healthy by many measures, especially based consumer spending and […]
What is My Social Security Widow’s Benefit?
Often, navigating the Social Security Administration’s rules can be complex and confusing. None more so than trying to determine a surviving spouse’s social security benefit. Nearly every couple will face this problem at some point. Timing is everything regarding social security surviving spouse benefits. The filing date alone—when you decide to claim social security and […]
What Happens When all the Jobs are Gone?
This image shows the damage that can be done to employees when new technology transforms the way work is done. Self driving vehicles are coming. We are not there yet, but five years ago a self driving car wasn’t even a thing. The most common job in America, the truck driver, is about to go […]
What Happens if the Market Tanks the Day After You Retire?
Imagine its October of 2007. You have spent the last 30-plus years of your life working and saving for this day, the day you retire. You have watched the S&P 500 Index rise steadily over the past five years, climbing from 837.37 to 1561.80, gaining over 12% a year on average. You have watched your […]
What are ABLE Accounts?
Individuals with special needs and families that seek to help, have long been hamstrung by the Catch 22 of public assistance. If a family provides too much financial assistance, the beneficiary loses access to government assistance. If the family does not help the individual may suffer from lack of access to housing and education. For […]
What a Durable Power of Attorney Is and Why You Need One
Many of us worry, with good reason, that we might one day become incapacitated and unable to attend to our own affairs. How can we be sure our bills are paid, our investments are managed, or our property sold if the need arises? A power of attorney is a document that delegates legal authority to […]
