Anthony Isola

It’s Time To Go All In On Financial Literacy

Our nation’s personal finance nightmare is destroying the American dream. The data backs up our woeful lack of knowledge and poor decision-making. We owe way too much money. The average household holds $137,879 of various forms of debt: $7,104 in credit cards $192, 618 in mortgages $29,934 in depreciating asset auto loans $46,679 in student…

Everyday Is Like Monday…..When Is My Retirement?

Eventually, there will be a vaccine for the pandemic. There aren’t a group of scientists working on creating your retirement plan. That’s up to you. Start by reading this week’s terrific links. Is the first person who will live to 150 alive today? Wall Street Journal Less than 50% of employers have adopted the new…

Happiness Is Only A Vacation Destination

Human beings possess extraordinary superpowers. The problem – we don’t know we possess them. Our psychological immune systems are extraordinary. Getting used to bad stuff is part of our DNA. Author Dan Gilbert completed extensive research on this subject. Bad feelings from negative events don’t turn out as rotten as our dire expectations. We overestimate…

How To Apply To College During A Pandemic

Applying to college is no cakewalk. The coronavirus and subsequent financial crisis further complicate things. High school seniors are seeing college dreams dissolving into their worst nightmares. Physically visiting schools is a no go. There are more questions than answers regarding college planning. Where’s tuition money going to come from if parents lose their jobs?…

Every Day Is Like Monday…..When Is My Retirement?

We don’t choose when we live but we can choose how we live. Make the right choice for your retirement by reading this week’s terrific links.   Beware – Annuity rates are plunging. MarketWatch Market crashes can be much worse for retirees. A Wealth of Common Sense Elder fraud may explode during the Pandemic. InvestmentNews…

Is Now a Good Time For Retirees To Refinance Their Mortgage?

Like the answers to most things in life – it depends. Mortgage rates steadily decreased from around 4.5% in 2018 to around 3.5% today. According to Barron’s: “For someone with a $300,000 loan, the difference between 4.5% and 3.5% is nearly $200 a month and $62,000 in total interest over 30 years.” Savings like these…

Everyday Is Like Monday…..When Is My Retirement?

Nothing lasts forever, including pandemics and financial crises. Start preparing for your future instead of worrying about it. Take a positive step by reading this week’s terrific retirement links. Contributing to your 401(k) during a bear market is a great idea if you can afford to. A Wealth Of Common Sense  Ten things you can…

What Are 3 Ways The Stimulus Package May Change Your Retirement Planning?

The $2 trillion economic relief plan passed on Friday impacts almost every layer of American life. Your retirement plan isn’t exempt. Here are three important components all workers currently saving for retirement and retirees need to know. Required Minimum Distributions are suspended for 2020 for IRA’s and workplace plans. This is important for a couple…

Everyday Is Like Monday…..When Is My Retirement?

Don’t turn temporary losses in your retirement portfolio into a permanent condition.  Making decisions solely based on emotion is never a good idea. Take a breath and read this week’s terrific retirement links. How does a market crash impact retirees? A Wealth of Common Sense Three ways to find peace in a stressful time. More…

If Only……….

If only the markets didn’t crash, I would be happy. Really? Maybe stocks rebounding temporarily brightens your day but the underlying problem still exists. When the next inevitable downturn hits, the same reactive patterns violently reemerge. How do we stop our minds from perpetual hijackings? We need the right tools. I don’t mean diversification of…