Retirement Watch Weekly
The 2017 Stock Market Review
Let’s review the highlights about why 2017 was an extraordinary year in the markets. Strength and consistency were the key qualities of U.S. stocks in 2017. There was very little volatility, especially downside volatility. There wasn’t a meaningful period of decline in 2017, and there really has not been one since early 2016. The price […]
The Financial Worries of the Wealthy – Having enough money for Retirement
This article is based on a survey done for Personal Capital. The survey asked those with more than $500,000 in investable assets what their biggest financial worries were. The majority said their biggest worry was having enough money for retirement. The third worry was related; they worried that a market downturn would diminish their portfolios. […]
Everything You Need to Know About Estate Planning Bypass Trusts & Irrevocable Trusts
Many observers think two popular kinds of trusts will no longer be needed. They’re wrong… in fact, these two trusts are as valuable as ever! Benefits that once were considered ancillary now are important to many estates. Though no longer created primarily for estate tax reduction, these two trusts can be essential to reaching other Estate Planning […]
Tax Reform and Your Retirement Finances
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 has made it through Congress and soon will be signed into law by President Trump. There’s a lot of detail in the new law. It’s the most comprehensive change to the tax code since the Tax Reform Act of 1986. Here, I will review what you need […]
Losing Thousands Investing in Bitcoin
No, this isn’t a story about people buying bitcoins before the price collapses or even about being scammed in a get-rich-quick scheme involving bitcoin. It’s about people who opened accounts in bitcoin sometime in the past. Some did it because a customer insisted on paying in bitcoin. Others wanted to try out the new payment […]
Update on Medical Solutions to Aging
Here’s an interesting article that provides both an update on efforts by drug companies to find medication that changes the aging process and how Washington regulators might stand in the way if such drugs were developed. The approach now being taken differs from what scientists were pursuing a decade ago (and longer), and the ethical […]
A Case for Investing in Emerging Markets
Jeremy Grantham of GMO isn’t optimistic about U.S. stocks and bonds for at least 10 years. He’s anticipating a 1% to 3% return from a traditional diversified portfolio. Here he makes the case for increasing your allocation to emerging market stocks. He also is recommending that his clients (institutional investors) make big bets in favor […]
Direct IRA Rollovers Q&A
https://www.retirementwatch.com/IRAs-quick-reference-guide-q/ Bruce Miller is a certified financial planner (CFP) who also is the author of Retirement Investing for INCOME ONLY: How to invest for reliable income in Retirement ONLY from Dividends and IRA Quick Reference Guide. […]
