November 2018

Don’t Let Saving for Retirement Become Another Fantasy

Half of our country has saved squat for retirement. Why? Stagnant wages (compared to the cost of living) leave little to squirrel away. Debt payments, especially among Millennials in the form of student loans, gobble up the crumbs. Greedy Wall Street firms charge egregious fees for their services. The maze of confusing retirement plan options doesn’t…

Time Sham

Timeshare companies make buyback offers you should refuse. There are over 9 million timeshare owners in the United States alone, according to a 2017 Vacation Timeshare Industry study. 74% are locked into lifetime contracts with perpetuity commitments that can pass on to their next of kin. 85% of owners have buyer’s remorse. What happens when…

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

People spend more time searching out Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals than they do planning their retirement. Don’t fall into this category. Start by reading this week’s terrific links.     Were Pensions really that great in the 1950’s? Barron’s A huge number of people care for ageing parents and their adult children in retirement….

Eleven Things To Be Thankful For

Gratitude creates a great attitude. Be thankful for what you have instead of stressing about what you need. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, here are eleven items I am grateful for. Women achieving positions of power –  Testosterone based decision making never ends well. The Presidency – Disagreeing with or disliking the President beats the…

It’s Thanksgiving Week Again….. When Is My Retirement?

It’s time to be thankful that there’s still time to plan for your retirement. Start by reading this week’s links. Why do women live longer than men? MarketWatch Here is a terrific HSA plan. Morningstar Automatic transfers of small 401(k) balances are about to become reality. Wall Street Journal Are retiree health care costs overblown?…

Don’t Avoid a Difficult Retirement Plan

Investors are often ambushed in the perceived safety of their comfort zones. Growth and fulfillment don’t show up on the set of Ground Hog’s Day. Welcome to the world of difficult-easy —  where stuff that feels hard doesn’t get you anywhere (for example, getting up early and working late at a low paying dead end…

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

Retirement planning is a compass, not a map. Let this week’s links help guide you in the right direction. It’s amazing what small yearly retirement contributions can make. A Wealth of Common Sense An expensive house can ruin your retirement. Financial Samurai Sometimes it doesn’t make sense to put money in your 401(k). The Wall Street…

The World’s Greatest Man-Made Catastrophe

Unintended consequences pose the greatest threat to our survival.  A century ago, on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour, the war to end all wars mercifully ended. In a satanic twist, thousands of combatants were killed that final day. The world never saw anything like it. Few realized what was to…

Seven Ways To Finance Your Advisors Retirement

Are you getting ripped off in your retirement account? Unscrupulous financial salespeople charge egregious fees for inappropriate investments. This problem is systemic and costs investors billions in unnecessary annual fees. What should you be on the lookout for? Read my post for Jonathan Clement’s popular HumbleDollar blog and find out. If your current advisor is guilty of…

The Kids Will Be Alright

Dina here… “I’m mad at myself for wasting time,” he said.  “Nine whole years have passed that I won’t get back, and I did nothing!” I suppressed a laugh, but I was not making fun; I was astonished. I’ve heard this many, many times but this guy was different.  He was 25 years old, lamenting…