California Dreaming

Can you imagine a world filled with simple investment choices and fiduciary advisors? Reality bites. Last week, we sponsored the BEST investment conference of the year –  EBI West. Many of us participated in panel discussions. The title of my panel: Finding New Products: Matching Goals With Opportunities Clients are increasingly savvy, curious and vocal. How do…

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

INSIDE OUTSIDE   I wish I was back at EBI West sitting on a panel. Outside its clear skies, 75 degrees with no humidity. Back to helping people retire with dignity. Here are this week’s July 4th links.   Social Security benefits lost 34% of their buying power since 2000. InvestmentNews Inherited IRA’s can be…

It’s Sunday Again…..When Is My Retirement

  Dina and I will both be in California next week at the most talked about Investment Conference of the year- EBI West. We will both be speaking on panels with some amazing people. Check this out. Here are this weeks retirement links. Stay tuned for Facebook updates. Please like my page and stay in…

The Misery Index

My senior year of college wasn’t filled with the dread that some of my classmates seemed to carry.  All the “countdown” parties went on without me; I didn’t feel the need to squeeze the last bit of juice out of my carefree days as a student.  I was itching to get on with it; the…

The Two-Room Financial Plan

People own too much home; not to mention unnecessary investments. According to Shawn Langlois of MarketWatch, “From 1978 through 2015, the median size of the single-family home increased every year until it peaked at 2,467 square feet, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.” It wouldn’t be so bad if people used ALL the rooms in…

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

Not having enough money for food when you retire is not an ideal way to lose weight. Save and plan and you might be able to hire a personal chef. We hope you had a Happy Father’s Day!! If we are what we eat, retirees are in trouble. MarketWatch There is no substitute for personal…

Values Aren’t Hobbies

“If you don’t stick to your values when they are being tested, they’re not values: they’re hobbies.” Jon Stewart Investors have a clear choice on who manages their money. They can choose this: “Merrill Lynch may reverse a ban on commissions in retirement accounts the firm manages, marking a potentially significant retreat for a leading…

Cheap Trust Can Be Very Expensive

I had the privilege of attending a parent/student meeting at South Side High School in Rockville Centre the other night.  For a change, I was neither an attending parent nor a presenter; I was a very interested observer for a number of reasons. As a mother to teenagers, I was happy to see a school…

Things Are Pretty Good Despite What You See

Trade wars, celebrity suicides, terrorism and a Social Security crisis; the headlines overflow with negativity. Is the world really this crappy? Most people judge happiness by their economic situation. It’s hard to concentrate on other matters if you are struggling to pay your bills. While media stories depress the most optimistic among us, the reality is telling another story….

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

Win life’s Triple Crown. Fund your retirement, put your kids through college and most importantly be happy. It’s hard to do the last one if you fail at the first two. Saving more gives you the best chance for success. Divorce can literally kill you and your retirement. MarketWatch What percentage of money can you…