Financial Planning

• Are Annuities Right for Your Retirement? — With memories of the stock market's 2008 tumble still fresh in investors minds, many are scared of burning their hands on the stove a second time.
• Basics of Financial Planning — You can achieve sound financial planning through a list of objectives, a few simple financial products, realistic investment expectations, a time frame that gives your investments time to work out...
• Boomers Better Off Than Expected — Finally! After years of enduring an unending litany of downbeat reports on baby boomers' prospects for retirement and suffering countless lectures from finger-wagging pundits talking 'bout my generation's total cluelessness about saving...
• Compensating for a Lousy 401k — With only $68,000 put away for retirement, you should think about ways you can save more, including either retirement plans or taxable accounts.
• Dangers and Advantages of Immediate Annuities — Immediate annuities have been very popular prior to now, but their use has declined significantly in the previous few decades. Immediate annuities are a good tool for those who would like to have a particular income stream over a defined amount of years.
• Financial Planning Basics — Saving enough to live comfortably in retirement is a top financial concern for many people. By investing time in financial planning, you can explore ways to ensure a steady flow of income after you stop working.
• How to Tap Your Nest Egg Penalty-Free — Your IRA can be helpful in an emergency, and you can avoid the 10% bite for taking money out early. But you’ll still owe income taxes on any withdrawal.
• If An Idea Seems Too Good to Be True, Run — A few years ago, I changed careers and rolled my money from my 401(k) plan to an annuity to continue tax-deferred growth on my investment. A few weeks ago, the financial planner I worked with on the rollover invited me to a seminar, and...
• Keep Your Nest Egg Hatching — You've managed to accumulate some retirement savings, but come retirement, how will you manage your assets? Will you simply take a lump sum and hope to be able to control your expenditures?
• Making Annuities Work For You – And Your Heirs — One of the main topics around many kitchen tables right now is how to retire on what money you have left. Along with that goes the question of what, if anything, to leave your heirs.
• Managing Money: Don’t Be Shortsighted, Start Preparing for Long-Term Care — While looking ahead to the joys of travel, relaxation and other benefits we typically associate with retirement, it's easy to overlook unexpected events that may occur during that time — or even sooner.
• Preparing for Job Loss — It happens. Companies eliminate positions and, regardless of your personal performance, you find yourself without a job. How do you prepare for such a situation? What can you do when it happens?
• Steps to Retiring On Time — Tax season is just around the corner - the proper time to look at your portfolio and ensure your retirement plans are on track.