Investors Move to Sidelines Ahead of Fall Uncertainty
Anticipating market volatility ahead of a potential Federal Government shutdown over the debt ceiling debate and an expected announcement that the Federal Reserve will begin to slow down its quantitative easing program, investors headed to the sidelines in droves in August. Investors sold more than $30 billion of bonds and
Is A Deferred-Income Annuity Right For You?
Recently we have had a few inquiries from prospective clients about a relatively new annuity product called a deferred-income annuity. Insurance companies are touting the new product as a way to build your own future retirement pension. So consumers, especially baby boomers, are naturally interested. In fact, sales of deferred-income
How Detroit’s Bankruptcy Threatens Municipal Bond Markets
Although it probably didn’t come as much of a surprise for many observers, earlier this month the city of Detroit filed for bankruptcy protection making it the largest city to ever do so. Detroit was once the fourth largest city in the United States, with a population of just under
You Have to Be in Gold, by Weston Wellington, Vice President Dimensional Fund Advisors
Each January, a group of prominent investment professionals gather in New York as members of the Barron’s Roundtable to trade quips, stock ideas, and the outlook for markets and economic trends worldwide. Barron’s-a weekly financial newspaper with a small but devoted following of professional and do-it-yourself investors-publishes a transcript of
Safe Bond Strategies for Today’s Market
While bonds, whether they are corporate bonds, municipal bonds, treasury bonds, or even high-yield bond, are generally considered by most investors to be “safe” investments, they still have elements of risk exposure that investors need to be aware of. It is still somewhat surprising that some people mistakenly believe they
President Obama’s Retirement Plan Proposal
President Obama recently released his budget plans for the 2014 fiscal year, and one of the proposals contained in the budget is gathering a lot attention. The budget contains a proposal to cap the amount of money one could accumulate in tax-advantaged retirement plans and/or pensions, including 401(k) plans and
Americans are Not Saving Enough for Retirement
A new report paints a bleak picture for the future retirement prospects of many Americans. New data released by the Employee Benefit Research Institute in their 2013 Retirement Confidence Survey indicates that fifty-seven percent of workers have saved less than $25,000 for retirement, not including the value of their home
How an Increase in the Minimum Wage Impacts You
During his address to Congress in February, President Obama proposed increasing the minimum wage by 24%, from $7.25 an hour to $9.00 an hour. The White House went on to claim that the increase would benefit some 15 million low-income workers. This proposal would bring the minimum wage to $9
The Dow Bounces Back
Almost four years to the day (March 9, 2009) when it reached its low point during the 2007-2009 bear market, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) has regained all of those losses and more. The Dow has wiped out the 54% loss it suffered during the bear market, and shows
The Effect of Low Bond Yields on Portfolio Withdrawal Rates
A recent study titled “Low Bond Yields and Safe Portfolio Withdrawal Rates” provides insight into the likelihood of retirees running out of money in retirement in a low interest rate environment. Co-authored by David Blanchett, Michael Finke, and Wade Pfau and released in January, the study looks at the impact
Monopoly’s Lessons for Life Success
The iconic board game Monopoly has been a fixture in American family rooms for eight decades since Parker Brothers first began selling the game in 1935. The game recently received a great deal of attention in early February when it was announced that fans of the game had voted to
Resolve to Get Your Finances Back in Shape in 2013
You may be among the 46% of adults who said they were considering financial resolutions for 2013 in a recent survey. According to surveys conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute and Fidelity Investments, getting their financial house in order is on the minds of a lot of Americans. Among