June 2017

Even A CFA® Can’t Make Sense of Teachers’ 403(b)s

“Make intimidating things painless. Make complicated things simple. Make boring things exciting.” – Morgan Housel This brilliantly describes the attributes of great businesses. The woeful world of public school teachers’ 403(b) retirement plans strikes out on all three of these concepts. It is unfathomable that a new kindergarten teacher will have mind-numbing terms like this thrown at her…

Investors Are Always Compensated for Their Behavior

“The dice of God are always loaded.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Investors experience no gain without loss; and no loss without gain. Finance is not immune from the universal laws of nature. For instance, a wealthy person may enjoy caviar but cannot digest it. A poor person may be in perfect health with a ravenous…

It’s Monday Again……When Is My Retirement?

Good Morning. Here are our weekly top ten links for issues concerning 403(b)s, 401(k)s, retirement savings tips, pensions, and various annuity products. Enjoy! How To Win At Retirement Savings – New York Times Rise In Shorter-Term Fixed Index Annuities Means Commission Declines – insurancenewsnet.com Tear Down The Silos Between HSAs And 401(k)’s – Society For Human…

How Can We Fix a Broken 403(b) System?

We can send a guided robot to Mars, but we can’t fix a retirement plan? This absurdity just received a counterattack from the State of Connecticut. State Representative Matthew Lesser wrote a ground breaking bill to repair a broken system. Nationwide, public school teachers’ 403(b) retirement plans are filled with the dregs of the investment…

The Worst of Human Nature

   No fun; these two words perfectly describe the ordeal public school teachers endure when they attempt to open up a 403(b) retirement account. On January 14, 1978 in San Francisco, California, the Sex Pistols performed their last concert at the Winterland Theater. Before departing, the group’s leader, Johnny Rotten sneered at the crowd, “Ever get the feeling you’ve been…

It’s Monday Again……..When Is My Retirement?

Good Morning. Here are our weekly top ten links for issues concerning 403(b)s, 401(k)s, retirement savings tips, pensions, and various annuity products. Enjoy! Roth vs. Traditional 401(k): Study Finds a Clear Winner – The Wall Street Journal This Hidden Expense Could Derail Those Retirement Plans – CNBC How Much Should You Save For Retirement? – Bloomberg…

Lessons From My Investment Class

What you leave out is more important than what you leave in. This was the key lesson I was able to convey to my students at Stony Brook University. I was privileged to teach an 11-week course at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.  This program is for retirees and is designed to keep their minds sharp by offering…

Let’s Make Our Financial System Like 2008 Again!

VOTE is a four-letter word; especially when the House of Representatives is involved. Our elected representatives have concocted something called The Financial Choice Act, A.K.A. “You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Party.”  If this proposed bill is turned into law, the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 would essentially be gutted. No one is saying Dodd-Frank is perfect.  The way…

It’s Monday Again……When Is My Retirement?

Here are our weekly top ten links for issues concerning 403(b)s, 401(k)s, retirement savings tips, pensions, and various annuity products. Enjoy! IMF Urges Millennials to Prepare for ‘Pension Shock’ – Chief Investment Officer 7 Things to Know About Social Security Before You Retire – U.S. News & World Report Saving $1 Million for Retirement Is Possible Even…