Retirement Watch Weekly
Bonds Or Bond Funds?
Yields are at four decade lows. Investors are looking for ways to increase income without increasing risk. The obvious way to increase yields is to reduce expenses on investments. The search for lower expenses revives the longtime debate over whether it is better to buy bond mutual funds, individual bonds, or the relatively new exchange […]
How to Beat The High Cost of Investing
Cutting the cost of investing is more important than it has been in years. Expenses didn’t matter much when the stock market returned over 20% annually and bonds yielded over 8%. In the next 10 years, however, I expect bonds won’t return more than their current yields, and the annual average return from stocks will […]
Ten Simple Estate Planning Strategies To Protect Assets
For the first time in years, I am hearing again from subscribers who seek to protect their assets from lawsuits and creditors. Those in the medical profession feel especially vulnerable. Other business owners and professionals are hurt by rising insurance costs or reductions in coverage. All are seeking other ways to protect themselves. In addition, […]
Six Kinds of Estate Planning Family Documents and Forms to Secure
Some documents are so important that they, or copies, should be stored securely. I don’t recommend a safe deposit box, for reasons explained in my June 2002 visit, which is available in the web site Archive. Consider a fireproof container or keeping copies at both the home and the office. The Federal Emergency Management Agency […]
How to Re-Balance Your Portfolio
You can have a leg up on most investors, including those who are supposedly the most sophisticated. Most investors, even the largest pension funds, neglect to rebalance their portfolios. Yet, rebalancing is an excellent way to improve long-term returns and reduce risk. It is especially valuable with long-term holdings such as a Core Portfolio. If […]
Advice for Beginners to Investing in Stock Market
Getting a little older requires a few changes in behavior. I’ve long known the importance of warming up before vigorous exercise. In the last few years I’ve learned my muscles also don’t like to be thrown right into yard work. They like a gradual introduction. If I forget that lesson, they’ll spend the next day […]
Why Are Seniors Vulnerable?
If you are older than 50, you are a target for fraud. Scam artists know that they are more likely to be successful against an older person than against the rest of the population. Experts estimate that over $40 billion is lost to fraud each year. The traditional assumption is that the victims of fraud […]
How to Maximize Shelter and Growth in Second Homes
Stocks and second home sales both soared during the 1990s. They parted ways in the 2000s. While stocks turned south, prices of second homes continued to climb. It is no coincidence. More people are turning to second homes as investment alternatives. The National Association of Realtors reports that purchases of second homes for investment purposes […]
