Retirement Watch Weekly
Growth Bonds
Many of you have learned the disadvantages of bonds: Your yield is locked in for the life of the bond, and when the bond matures you have to reinvest at current yields. In an era of falling rates, that means taking a cut in income. Wouldn’t you prefer to get steady, reliable income that actually […]
Strategies for Income that lasts a Lifetime
Investing for income might not be the safest way to manage your retirement portfolio. Income investments certainly seem safe in the short-term. The income usually is secure. You can plan on it. The principal value doesn’t have the great gyrations you see in the stock market. But retirement can last 20 or 30 years. In […]
Deduct Your Dream Motor Home
For reasons that escape me, Renee is one of those people who always wanted to get a big motor home and cruise the country. After the weather we’ve seen this year, I imagine a lot of people would like to have a portable home so they could drive to wherever the climate is hospitable. What […]
How to Avoid New Credit Card Traps
Always read those little booklets from your credit card company that describe changes in your card terms. I got quite a surprise when reading a recent one from Citibank, and millions of other cardholders across the country also received surprises. Unfortunately, many won’t learn of the new credit card traps until they learn how much […]
Tips on Shopping for the best Medicare Supplement
Your health care options are steadily shrinking. Federal rules deterred many health care providers from offering the new Medicare options described in my September 1998 issue. And other rulings caused many HMOs to either stop participating in Medicare or to substantially increase the fees charged. For many of you, the only option now is the […]
Big Tax Breaks For No Cash
You might be eligible for one of the sweetest tax breaks in the law. The break can net you tens of thousands of dollars in tax breaks without your having to shell out any cash beyond some lawyer’s and appraiser’s fees. Some experts call it the tax break for giving away air. The tax break […]
Tax-Wise Ways To Sell A Business
As the successful business owner nears retirement, one of life’s more difficult questions must be faced: What to do with the business? In the past, I’ve covered estate planning strategies that can be used to transfer the business to the next generation. But often a family member does not want to take over the business. […]
10 Basic Rules For Your Estate Planning Checklist
You need an estate plan, and this is the time of year when many people consider finally drawing up or revising their plans. An estate plan should be tailored for the individual. Contrary to what you’ll hear in some estate planning seminars, there aren’t many strategies that should be in every estate plan. But there […]
