Retirement Watch Weekly
Against Efficient Market Theory
The debate continues between efficient market theorists and those who are less sure about market efficiency, between passive or index investors and active investors. It’s easy to find support for the efficient market/passive investing side. They now dominate the academic and financial media worlds. Here’s an interesting essay by someone who identifies himself as a […]
Are Stocks Overvalued?
The U.S. stocks indexes are about 150% or more above their lows of 2009. That recovery is increasing the number of people worrying that stocks are too highly valued or even in a bubble with two 50% or greater declines occurring since 2000, people are more on the lookout for big declines than they were […]
December 2013
December 20, 2013 04:50 p.m. Your Retirement Finance Week in Review We’ll be on a reduced schedule the next couple of weeks. I won’t send a letter next Friday, December 27, and probably won’t send one on January 3, 2014. I hope everyone has a good holiday season. I look forward to meeting you at […]
Taking a Financial Health Day
Most of you are familiar with the concept of a mental health day, when a person takes a day off from work to relax and recharge. Most of us need a financial health day to increase our financial independence and well-being. There are many relatively simple, easy steps people need to take to improve their […]
Consider Grabbing a Reverse Mortgage Now
Reverse mortgages can be powerful cash generators in those post-career years, when used properly. Anyone who might be interested in using a reverse mortgage in the next few years should consider lining one up now. This is a good reverse mortgage shopping time because interest rates are bottoming. Though you don’t make regular loan payments […]
Updating the Bypass Trust for Estate Planning
Is the Bypass Trust dead? Many people believed when the lifetime estate tax exemption rose to $5 million per person (indexed for inflation), the role of bypass trusts in most Estate Planning strategies ended. Far from it. Under the current tax law the bypass trust can be turned from a powerful estate tax saver into […]
New 2014 Estate, Income Tax Levels for Estate Planning
Most of the inflation-indexing adjustments that will affect Estate Planning for 2014 were announced in November 2013. The estate tax exemption for 2014 is $5,340,000 per person. This applies to a combination of lifetime gifts and the estate value. It is an increase from $5,250,000 in 2013. 2014 Gift Tax Exclusion Affecting Estate Planning The […]
Expanding Your IRA Investment Universe
The investment universe is expanding for many IRA owners. Some uses of the accounts that are becoming more frequent are investing in a small business, either your own or that of a friend or relative, becoming a mortgage lender, buying real estate, and investing in gold, among many other investment options. Your IRA doesn’t have […]
