Investors Need To Ask What, Not Why

To paraphrase President Kennedy – Ask not questions about why the unknowable occurs – ask what you can do to focus on the controllable.   Why questions invite belief systems to the curiosity party. Not a good thing. Depending on who you ask about the same topic, the answer is often completely different. Competing responses presented…

Martin Luther’s 95 Theses – 403(b) Edition

“Those who believe that they can be certain of their salvation because they have indulgence letters will be eternally damned together with their teachers” – Martin Luther Where are all the 403bodies buried? The longer something rots, the more it stinks. Nothing in the vast retirement space smells worse than public school teacher’s Non-ERISA 403(b)…

Ring, Ring, 7 A.M……When Is My Retirement???

The World Series lasts at the most seven games. Your retirement can last for thirty years or more. Plan accordingly by reading this week’s terrific links.   Senior inflation may be the biggest risk to your retirement plan. Morningstar Think twice about getting divorced. Barron’s Why you need to make a ‘When I Die’ file….

When Filling Out FAFSA, The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

Who knew the late Tom Petty was a college financial aid expert? The waiting is the hardest part  -when it comes to filling out FAFSA forms. On October 1, the great race commenced for financial and merit aid for college. Parents and students began filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA…

Data Is No Match For A Panic Attack

No financial tool is omnicompetent. Embracing incongruence is a much better plan. Incongruence is defined by David Epstein in his terrific book, Range, as: An informal culture of individual autonomy in decision making and dissent from the typical way of doing things. Cross-checking the status quo provides invaluable benefits. Relying on pure data can sometimes…

Monday’s Coming Like A Jail On Wheels…..When Is My Retirement?

Don’t let your retirement plan get impeached by making bad choices. Read this week’s terrific links for some better options.   Many women are at a disadvantage when it comes to retirement savings. Morningstar Filling out your kid’s FAFSA form correctly will help you save more for retirement. CNBC Can you still get a mortgage…

403Badlands

“Nature abhors a vacuum.” – Aristotle Empty space fills.  No law that says it has to be with something good. After World War I, the United States decided to follow a policy of Isolationism, the 1920’s version of “America First.” The war quickly became a deadly fiasco. The treaty ending it wasn’t much better. Americans…

Dancing With The Dream Hoarders

Why do so many safety nets go to the wealthy? America created a glass floor protecting the upper-middle class from the risk of downward mobility. Take a look at this crazy story from Dancing With the Stars. Christie Brinkley broke her wrist during a rehearsal. She was immediately replaced by her 21-year-old daughter, Sailor. Things…

Monday’s Coming Like A Jail On Wheels…..When Is My Retirement???

Ignoring market noise when planning for your retirement is essential. If you’re waiting for stability in the Middle East to invest – Good luck with that. Avoid the nonsense by reading this week’s terrific retirement links.     Be careful about moving to a low-tax state. CNBC Here’s how to negotiate a phased retirement. The…