Retirement Watch Weekly
The Old Road to Safe, Higher Dividend Yields
We’re returning to the 1950s – and even earlier. Decades ago, retired people who wanted a reliable source of high income didn’t buy certificates of deposit, money market funds, or bonds. They purchased stocks. Dividend yields on stocks were higher than interest rates on quality bonds. Now that we’ve returned to a world of low […]
Investing Your IRA Under the New Law
Does the 2003 tax law change how your retirement account should be invested? Most investors have some of their money in tax-deferred accounts – such as IRAs and 401(k)s – and the rest in taxable accounts. When a portfolio is diversified, the investor has to decide which assets to purchase in a tax-deferred account and […]
Reviewing Your Will and Estate Planning
Your will and estate plan need to be reviewed. Be sure they are ready for coming changes. A key tool in many estate plans especially needs some re-working soon. Otherwise, you might be caught in a trap. The current lifetime estate and gift tax exemption is $1 million per person. It rises in 2004, and […]
How to Evaluate Long Term Care Insurance Policies
Few financial transactions are more complicated than buying long-term health care insurance. Also, few single transactions have potentially greater and longer-lasting consequences. We’ve covered the basics and more in past visits, most recently in June 2002 (available on the web site Archive). Let’s take a look at the next level of issues you are likely […]
Your Portfolio And The Economy
Most investors try to forecast the economy and use that forecast to manage their investments. Don’t take that route. There is a long-term relationship between stocks and the economy. Over short and even intermediate-term periods, there is not a strong tie between stock returns and the economy. We don’t have to look back too far […]
Carlson’s Choice Mutual Funds
I keep our portfolios streamlined with my best ideas, but some of you want more than one fund for a sector. For these readers, we’ll take a look at some other funds to consider. One of my favorite approaches to stock market investing is to invest with a good stock picker who buys only his […]
How To Make The Most Of Your Tax Cuts
Another major tax cut rolled through Congress by the end of May, providing significant benefits to all investors. You might need to change some of your tax and investment strategies to reap the maximum benefits of the new law. There also are a few traps to avoid. Let’s take a look at the basics of […]
Six Kinds of Estate Planning Family Documents and Forms to Secure
Some documents are so important that they, or copies, should be stored securely. I don’t recommend a safe deposit box, for reasons explained in my June 2002 visit, which is available in the web site Archive. Consider a fireproof container or keeping copies at both the home and the office. The Federal Emergency Management Agency […]
