Retirement Investing

Bob Carlson offers his expert opinion on where to invest your money so that you can get through retirement safely and securely

Found 896 Articles.
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Hedge Funds

High-Return, Low-Risk Hedge Alternatives

Publication: Retirement Watch Weekly

Our Alternative Portfolio, also known as our “hedge fund” portfolio, remains on its track of strong, steady returns. The quarter ending June 30 was slower than prior recent quarters, ending with a small loss, but it still did better than the major stock indexes. New investors to the portfolio, however, will have to make some […]

Real Estate Investing

Dangers of the Private REIT

Publication: Retirement Watch Weekly

Real estate investment trusts have been important parts of our portfolios. Cohen & Steers Realty Shares has outperformed the S&P 500 for the last 10 years, for each of the last four full years, and so far in 2004. Unfortunately, the good news about real estate and REITs is being used to entice investors, especially […]

Investing Strategies

Navigating Troubled Markets

Publication: Retirement Watch Weekly

Fear stalks the markets these days. The last few months we gradually added protection against such a surge in investor pessimism. Those moves served our portfolios well in the recent downturn and will help if things get worse. Don’t try to forecast whether this is a correction or a new bear market. It is a […]

Retirement Investing

What To Do with REITs Now

Publication: Retirement Watch Weekly

The markets have seen a lot of changes, but changes aren’t required in our Managed Portfolios. We were well-positioned for the turn in interest rates. Let’s get right into the specifics. Sector and Balanced Managed Portfolios Real estate investment trusts saw the most action in the last month. Cohen & Steers Realty Shares was up […]

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Commodities

Warnings from the Bond and Commodity Markets

Publication: Retirement Watch Weekly

Strange things have been happening in the bond market. These actions should be a big caution sign for investors, especially income investors. In 2003 we warned that interest rates were too low and likely to rise. The great bond bull market seemed over. It looked like prescient advice, especially after interest rates spiked in the […]

529 College Saving Plans, Estate Planning

Estate Planning: How to Make the Most of 529 Plans

Publication: Retirement Watch Weekly

Section 529 college savings plans rapidly became a popular Estate Planning tool, especially for those who want to help their grandchildren. Each state now offers at least one 529 plan. A 529 plan allows a donor to give up to five years’ of tax-free gifts ($55,000) in one year. The donor can get the money […]

Portfolios

Managed vs. Core Portfolios

Publication: Retirement Watch Weekly

Periodically it is fun and instructive to compare our Core Portfolios and Managed Portfolios. Longtime readers know I recommend dividing a portfolio into two portions. The Core Portfolio is long-term, buy-and-hold, diversified, and balanced. It keeps us disciplined. The Core Portfolio won’t let our emotions take us in and out of the markets at the […]

Investing Strategies

How Safety-First Investing Builds More Wealth

Publication: Retirement Watch Weekly

Value and caution pay richer rewards than do growth and excitement. Market action of the last few years contains some great examples of this lesson. The bear market began in March 2000 and bottomed in October 2002. The market indexes have had a strong run since the bottom, with the Nasdaq returning over 50% and […]