For most people, estate planning looks something like this: “When all is said and done, more is said than done.” – Lou Holtz Anyone who has helped in the estate resolution process for a loved one knows it can be either an enormous pain or relatively painless (excluding the loss of your loved one, of course). The level of difficulty is almost certainly determined by the planning or lack thereof done by the deceased. The general public has erroneously focused…
There have been studies that show that when people pay more for something, they believe the product is better. For example, people rate wines better if they are told it is expensive. Based on this study, the wine doesn’t actually have to be better, people just have to believe it’s better and their mind takes over from there. In the wine example, when the isolated variable is price, people were forced to assume that the higher the price, the higher the…
Wrote a piece for CNBC on the role of bonds in a retirement portfolio. In the article, I share some thoughts on the topic with the aid of historical perspective and how things have changed over the past few decades. Below is the link. Conventional Wisdom of Bonds Dominating a Portfolio in Retirement is now Outdated Thanks for reading! Ashby Daniels Shorebridge Wealth Management 600 Waterfront Drive, Suite 125 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412-742-4861 Disclaimers: Securities offered through Raymond…
Last week I wrote a post titled “Switching Advisors at Retirement – Things to Consider“. It didn’t occur to me until after re-reading it that I realized I omitted one of the most important (and overlooked) things you should be looking for in your search. And that is, “Who is going to help your spouse if something happens to you?” When considering switching advisors, the final decision regarding who to hire often resides with the person that handles the day-to-day…
As investors close in on retirement, it’s relatively common to consider changing advisors. I often inquire when meeting a prospective client for the first time as to why they are considering making a change, and the answer usually falls within one of two categories: (1) They question whether or not their advisor has the expertise necessary to get them through their retirement or (2) Their advisor is roughly their age and likely considering retirement as well, so they understandably feel…
I spend a lot of time reading articles, books, and whitepapers about all things retirement-related. Basically, anything that can benefit a client at or nearing retirement. I was recently asked by a couple of readers where I find all the articles I share on various social channels. The answer is “all over the place.” I subscribe to a ton of newsletters, avidly use google alerts and read articles/books recommended by industry colleagues and clients. Given the breadth of great resources…
According to the Investment Company Institute as of March 31, 2018, there were approximately $9.2 trillion in IRA assets. Given the sheer volume of Americans that own an IRA combined with the complicated IRS tax code that accompanies them, there are plenty of ways to trip yourself up when it comes to IRA planning throughout your life. Though not surprisingly, the focus of this article will be the IRA mistakes I see most from folks that are at or nearing retirement…
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…