There is a perception that if news isn’t worth acting on, then it must be useless or a waste of time. And there are a lot of advisors (I’ve been one of them) that have stated on more than one occasion that retirees might be better off if they turned off the news. While I still generally believe that to be true due to our proclivity to act, it is a belief that has been actively evolving over the years. …
In September, it will be four years since my grandfather passed away and I still think about him every single day. He was my hero. His presence in my life and the impact that he had on me will stay with me forever. At his funeral, my brother and I were given the distinct honor of delivering the eulogy. My sister and our cousin were on stage with us as we struggled through our words. To say that he was loved…
Social Security is a touchy subject. Because of its political and emotional attachments, it also one of the more misunderstood areas of financial planning. As I’ve watched the attitude toward Social Security evolve, retirees claiming benefits early seems to be a popular strategy due at least in part to the perceived insolvency of the program. “I’m going to get it while it’s still there.” is a popular refrain. Many times, I hear retirees talking about Social Security in a similar…
There are a lot of misconceptions about when to file for Social Security benefits. Should you file as soon as possible, at 66 or wait until 70? The truth is your answer is and should be unique to you. What your neighbors or even your other family members are doing probably should not be considered in your decision. My goal in this article isn’t to convince you to wait, but to help you see the potential value in waiting if…
Take a second and think to yourself, how long do you think you will live? I realize it’s a morose thought, but honestly what age do you think you’ll pass away? You may consider your current health, your family history or a variety of other factors to make the estimation. When I ask investors what age they believe they will live to, an overwhelming number of respondents estimate somewhere between their late 70s and early 80s. Very rarely do I…
Winston Churchill is often credited with the statement that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried. This is a lot like how I view the whole active vs passive management debate because there is no perfect way in which to manage a portfolio. But I believe there are significant guideposts to follow that can make the decision a little clearer. There has been a lot of ink spilled over this single…
As an advisor that specializes in working with retirees, it seems that some of the most commonly asked questions deal with the topic of Medicare. How does it work? When do I need to file? What plan should I choose? What does it cover? What is it going to cost? And so on. So, instead of searching all over the web trying to find answers to these questions, I thought it would be helpful to provide all the answers in…
My brother is a fitness and health fanatic. Safe to say I am not. I enjoy a good workout, but it’s definitely not the highlight of my day. Nor is eating a super healthy diet. But I do want to stay in good health for many years to come. For years, I have consulted with my brother who has consistently recommended great plans for me to follow to get into and stay in great shape on both the physical and…
I’ve been asked a lot recently about what it means to be an evidence-based investor and how it differs from traditional investing. I felt that a few videos might serve as a helpful introduction to the evidence-based approach. These three videos are prepared by Dimensional Fund Advisors and Vanguard which are two of the primary investment partners that I use as I implement evidence-based investing for my clients. Enjoy! Pardon the quality of the video below, but it…
Faith rarely gets mentioned when discussing how to successfully invest for retirement. I’m not referring to faith in a religious sense, but faith that the markets will go up over time, albeit with temporary and sometimes drastic pullbacks. Ironically, as the market is still near record highs, pessimism, skepticism, and nervousness continue to be the prevailing sentiments. Virtually everyone I know has significant skepticism with regard to current market values. And it’s understandable especially with the day to day news cycle….