Retirement Watch Weekly
High-Return, Low-Risk Hedge Alternatives
Our Alternative Portfolio, also known as our “hedge fund” portfolio, remains on its track of strong, steady returns. The quarter ending June 30 was slower than prior recent quarters, ending with a small loss, but it still did better than the major stock indexes. New investors to the portfolio, however, will have to make some […]
Dangers of the Private REIT
Real estate investment trusts have been important parts of our portfolios. Cohen & Steers Realty Shares has outperformed the S&P 500 for the last 10 years, for each of the last four full years, and so far in 2004. Unfortunately, the good news about real estate and REITs is being used to entice investors, especially […]
Are IRAs, 401ks Still Good Ideas?
Many aspects of retirement planning changed over the last decade. One piece of conventional wisdom that has endured is to maximize contributions to IRAs and 401(k) plans. I’ve questioned that in the past, and it is time again to question this advice. IRAs and 401(k)s are tax shelters. Changes in the tax law alter the […]
Equity Indexed Annuities
Equity indexed annuities are back. Sharp stock market moves seem to stir sales of these annuities. A strong stock market draws conservative investors to them, seeking higher returns than their fixed income investments. A bear market causes other investors to look for a safer way to invest in stocks. Unfortunately, few investors really know what […]
Estate Planning Protection Package
The most unexpected events can cause a will to be challenged. A carefully planned estate becomes a mess as legal fees lay waste to the family wealth and acrimony drives members apart. It doesn’t have to happen. In most cases, a will contest and related lawsuits could have been avoided with a few preventive steps. […]
Updated Estate Planning for Family Limited Partnerships
Soon after I updated the tax status of family limited partnerships for our July visit, the Tax Court ruled in another FLP case. The decision went against the taxpayers and again dimmed the enthusiasm of many tax advisors for FLPs. I’m not as pessimistic about the decision, but it does add some uncertainty and should […]
How Much to Save and Invest for Retirement
Americans are confident they will have comfortable retirements. Seventy percent of Americans age 25 and older told the Retirement Confidence Survey for 2004 they are confident of achieving a comfortable retirement. Yet only 58% were actively saving for retirement, and only 42% ever tried to calculate the amount of money they will need in retirement. […]
HIPAA-compliant Estate Planning
The law of unintended consequences has struck again. Because of it, some standard Estate Planning tools need to be reworked, and existing plans might need some revisions in the next few years. Congress decided Americans’ medical privacy needed more protection, so in 1996 it passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known as HIPAA. […]
