Inflation and Your Money
When inflation is low, it’s easy to overlook how rising prices are affecting a household budget. On the other hand, when inflation is high, it may be tempting to make more sweeping changes in response to increasing prices. The best approach may be to develop a sound investment strategy that takes both possible scenarios into account.
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Why you need an Estate Strategy?
Although we typically associate the term “estate” with the ultra-wealthy, estate planning is not just for the rich. Everyone, regardless of family dynamics or financial status, can benefit from having an estate plan—a collection of documents that specify how you want your assets distributed. Nevertheless, most people have neglected to put such plans in place.
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A Bucket Plan to go with your Bucket List
Longer, healthier living, however, can put greater stress on the sustainability of retirement assets. There is no easy answer to this challenge, but let’s begin by discussing one idea—a bucket approach to building your retirement income plan.
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Retirement Income and the Traditional Portfolio
Taking withdrawals from a traditional portfolio exposes fixed-income investors to “sequence of returns” danger. In other words, experiencing negative returns early in retirement can deplete your portfolio more quickly than you planned and potentially undermine the sustainability of your assets. So you may want to consider a couple of strategies to help mitigate this concern.
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Asset Allocation
If you have visited a big city, you’ve probably run into street vendors selling everything from hot dogs to umbrellas. Many of these entrepreneurs sell completely unrelated products, such as coffee and ice cream. At first glance, this approach seems a bit odd, but it turns out to be quite clever. Asset allocation applies this same concept to managing investment risk. Under this approach, investors divide their money among different asset classes, such as stocks, bonds, and cash alternatives, like money market accounts.
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The Difference Between Global and International
With international stock markets comprising nearly two-thirds of the world’s capitalization, a broad range of investment opportunities exist outside the borders of the U.S. For investors who are looking to diversify their mutual fund portfolio with exposure to companies located outside the U.S., there exist two basic choices: A global mutual fund or an international mutual fund.
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Trends in Charitable Giving
Americans give to charity for two main reasons: to support a cause or organization they care about, or to leave a legacy through their support. When giving to charitable organizations, some people elect to support through cash donations. Others, however, understand that supporting an organization may generate tax benefits. They may opt to follow techniques that can maximize both the gift and the potential tax benefit.
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The Six Most Overlooked Tax Deductions
Who among us wants to pay the IRS more taxes than we have to? While few may raise their hands, Americans regularly overpay because they fail to take tax deductions for which they are eligible. Let’s take a quick look at the six most overlooked opportunities to manage your tax bill.
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What to do with your 401k from a Former Employer?
One of the common threads of a mobile workforce is that many individuals who leave their job are faced with a decision about what to do with their 401(k) account. So essentially individuals have three basic options with the 401(k) account they accrued at a previous employer.
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Understanding Long-Term Care
Addressing the potential threat of long-term care expenses may be one of the biggest financial challenges for individuals who are developing a retirement strategy. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 70% of people over age 65 can expect to need long-term care services at some point in their lives. So understanding the various types of long-term care services—and what those services may cost—is critical as you consider your retirement approach.
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