Retirement Watch Weekly
Looking Forward to 2017
We could have a very interesting year in the markets in 2017. We are in one of those rare periods when investors, analysts and economists are in general agreement about the outlook. For the most part, they are optimistic about economic growth, and that in turn makes them optimistic about earnings and stock prices. They […]
Managing Portfolios Amid Political and Market Volatility
Just hours after the Nov. 8 U.S. election results were known, Wall Street’s analysts and economists decided they knew exactly what a Donald Trump administration would mean for the economy and markets. Investors agreed so readily that the first two years of Trump policies already seemed to be reflected in the markets within the first […]
Building Brain Fitness
The money fears of retirees and pre-retirees grab most of the headlines. But what retirees are most likely to fear is becoming a burden on others and being unable to take care of themselves, especially because of reduced cognitive function. Yet, you really can help your brain remain fit and relatively young, reducing the risk […]
Finding States That Are Retiree Tax Havens
Taxes, especially when all types of taxes are added together, are one of the largest expenses of most retirees. State and local taxes are a big portion of the taxes paid, and many people don’t realize the total they’re paying in all those taxes. Of course, some states are considered high-tax states and others are […]
Arranging Your Finances to Make an IRA Conversion Less Costly
Last month, we addressed the different factors to consider when evaluating whether it makes sense to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. While a Roth IRA has many benefits, there is a cost to the conversion. You have to include the converted amount in gross income as though it were distributed to you […]
Time to Update Your Digital Assets Estate Planning Strategy
Estate planning laws and practices are catching up with the reality of today’s digital world. It is a slow process and still has a way to go, but big strides recently were made. You need to review how your estate plan handles digital assets and decide if an update is in order. There are several […]
The Year So Far
There are only a few trading days left in 2016, so it’s a good time to step back and look at the trends and returns for the year. Before we look at the numbers, consider the changes in fortune during the year. It started with a stock bear market and other problems in China. These […]
Those Year-End Stock Market Forecasts
The big investment firms almost always have their economists or strategists issue forecasts of how much the market indexes will rise or fall the following year. In the past, I’ve urged readers to view these forecasts as entertainment. Don’t use them to manage portfolios. Here’s a good post from a statistician who took forecasts from […]
