Retirement Watch Weekly
The Bullish Case for the Stock Market
It’s remarkably easy to find the case for selling stocks. It seems it’s always easy to make a bearish case, and perhaps that is why there are so many bearish newsletters. It’s easy to write that bearish marketing copy. So, here’s a compilation of bullish arguments. It points out, for example, that a year of […]
The Latest from Bob Shiller
The co-winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize for Economic Science is generating a lot of media these days, largely in support of various business projects such as his role with a new mutual fund with DoubleLine Funds. When you see an interview with him, be sure to read his words carefully. Don’t rely on the […]
Against Efficient Market Theory
The debate continues between efficient market theorists and those who are less sure about market efficiency, between passive or index investors and active investors. It’s easy to find support for the efficient market/passive investing side. They now dominate the academic and financial media worlds. Here’s an interesting essay by someone who identifies himself as a […]
Are Stocks Overvalued?
The U.S. stocks indexes are about 150% or more above their lows of 2009. That recovery is increasing the number of people worrying that stocks are too highly valued or even in a bubble with two 50% or greater declines occurring since 2000, people are more on the lookout for big declines than they were […]
Taking a Financial Health Day
Most of you are familiar with the concept of a mental health day, when a person takes a day off from work to relax and recharge. Most of us need a financial health day to increase our financial independence and well-being. There are many relatively simple, easy steps people need to take to improve their […]
Consider Grabbing a Reverse Mortgage Now
Reverse mortgages can be powerful cash generators in those post-career years, when used properly. Anyone who might be interested in using a reverse mortgage in the next few years should consider lining one up now. This is a good reverse mortgage shopping time because interest rates are bottoming. Though you don’t make regular loan payments […]
Updating the Bypass Trust for Estate Planning
Is the Bypass Trust dead? Many people believed when the lifetime estate tax exemption rose to $5 million per person (indexed for inflation), the role of bypass trusts in most Estate Planning strategies ended. Far from it. Under the current tax law the bypass trust can be turned from a powerful estate tax saver into […]
New 2014 Estate, Income Tax Levels for Estate Planning
Most of the inflation-indexing adjustments that will affect Estate Planning for 2014 were announced in November 2013. The estate tax exemption for 2014 is $5,340,000 per person. This applies to a combination of lifetime gifts and the estate value. It is an increase from $5,250,000 in 2013. 2014 Gift Tax Exclusion Affecting Estate Planning The […]
