Retirement Watch Weekly
How to Maximize the Benefits of a Roth IRA Conversion
Converting a regular IRA to a Roth IRA can be a shrewd financial move. See September’s visit for details. This month we’re going to discuss how to establish a plan that will multiply the benefits of a conversion. There are two key rules that can be used to develop the most effective Roth conversion plan. […]
Inflation-Protected Never-Ending Lifetime Income with Annuities
Retirement planning boils down to solving two problems: providing an income for life, and ensuring that income retains its purchasing power. Running out of money and watching the purchasing power of one’s income erode are two of the greatest retirement fears. Financial services companies constantly are developing products and strategies to alleviate these fears. As […]
Estate Planning to Leave a Legacy
In our past discussions of Estate Planning, I often have emphasized that estate planning is the process of building a legacy. When people think estate planning is about money, property, and death, they tend to ignore the process. When they realize it is about values and other elements of building and living a legacy, they […]
Prescription Drug Plans Ready to Roll
It is getting close to the time when Medicare beneficiaries must decide whether or not to sign up for a prescription drug plan. Promotions are being rolled out. The enrollment period begins Nov. 1, 2005, and closes on May 15, 2006. The government has announced some good news about the program. (See the September 2005 […]
Is a Perpetual Trust for You?
Recent laws are making it easier to use dynasty trusts to make wealth last for multiple generations. Not too long ago creating a dynasty trust that lasted for generations was difficult. Those of us who took Estate & Trusts in law school tried to learn the intricacies of something called the Law Against Perpetuities, complex […]
Setting Up Your Financial Protection Plan – Insurance
Hurricane Katrina has a lot of people thinking about their insurance for homes, autos, belongings, and personal liability. Most people have a lot of their insurance wrong. They have coverage gaps or are paying too much. Don’t wait until you need the coverage to discover there is a problem. Review your insurance every year or […]
Your Personal Backup Plan
A natural disaster destroys more than property. It also destroys financial records and other important documents. Many evacuees from Katrina say that they cannot even prove who they are, because they lost driver’s licenses, passports, birth certificates, and other identification in the hurricane and its aftermath. The traditional advice is to preserve important documents in […]
Where to Find Today’s Values
The last few months have taught the benefits of diversification, balance, and a margin of safety. One of our investment themes of the last few years is that U.S. stocks and bonds are in a declining phase of the valuation cycle. It will be a while before investors are willing to take great risks and […]
