Articles and Videos

Why Risk and Volatility Are Not the Same, and Why That Matters to You- Episode 160
Managing Your Financial Future

Why Risk and Volatility Are Not the Same, and Why That Matters to You- Episode 160

January 16, 2024

What creates fear and anxiety when it comes to stock market investing?  Usually, it’s when the markets are behaving erratically.  Put another way, it’s when the markets are volatile.  Or to put it yet another way, it’s during virtually every short-term measurable time period. Stocks are always volatile in the short run.  But stock market investing should never be a short-term play.  So why does volatility get all the headlines?  The more important aspect of stock market investing should not be trying to manage volatility (because you can’t); rather, it’s about managing risk. What’s the difference, and why does it matter to you?
Why Having Protected Income Is Vital in Retirement- Episode 159
Managing Your Financial Future

Why Having Protected Income Is Vital in Retirement- Episode 159

January 9, 2024

One of the most valuable things you can have, both before and after you retire, is a steady stream of income. What makes it more valuable to you is if that income is protected (meaning “guaranteed”) by some entity, like the federal government, the PBGC, or the claims-paying ability of an insurance company. Two forms of protected income that people generally receive at retirement are Social Security and pensions. These, either together or separately, form the basis of your financial plan and can help determine how much extra income (if any) your nest egg will need to provide for you. In other words, the more protected income you have, the less you’ll have to rely on your savings.
Is Right Now a Good Time to Do a Roth Conversion?- Episode 158
Managing Your Financial Future

Is Right Now a Good Time to Do a Roth Conversion?- Episode 158

January 2, 2024

Converting your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA is not a decision that should be taken lightly. While tax-free growth is always nice, sometimes the price you have to pay – mostly income taxes on the conversion – makes it not worth doing. But for many people, right now may be the perfect time to convert their pre-tax funds into a Roth. How do you know if and when you should make the move? Are there other considerations besides having to pay taxes right now that may sway you one way or the other? These are important questions. 
How to Retire in Any Market Conditions – Episode 157
Managing Your Financial Future

How to Retire in Any Market Conditions – Episode 157

December 19, 2023

Many people have a retirement savings goal in mind, a level of money that they believe is enough. Once they reach that goal, they feel they’re ready to retire.  And that’s a good plan.   But what happens if your nest egg takes a big hit from the stock market just after you hang it all up for good? Do you really have to either go back to work, or maybe take less of an income in order to make your savings last?   
Why You Need the Right Portfolio Withdrawal Strategy- Episode 156
Managing Your Financial Future

Why You Need the Right Portfolio Withdrawal Strategy- Episode 156

December 12, 2023

People tend to focus a lot of their attention on building their nest egg: which investment strategies to use in order to achieve a good rate of return.  But surprisingly little notice is given to how you should extract that money at retirement.  And this may be the more important aspect. No matter how much money you accumulate over your lifetime, if you’re careless with how it’s eventually spent, it could be gone well before your time is up.  So how do you potentially make your money last at least as long as you do? Learn what you need to know about portfolio withdrawal strategies — like Buckets
The 2023 RMD Rules Have Changed: How to Keep Your Tax Bill Down – Episode 155
Managing Your Financial Future

The 2023 RMD Rules Have Changed: How to Keep Your Tax Bill Down – Episode 155

December 5, 2023

Just a few years ago, the rules regarding Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) were fairly simple: you turned age 70 ½, you had an RMD.  But since the passage of the SECURE Acts, you may – or may not – be required to take an RMD this year.  How do you know? That answer isn’t necessarily an easy one, for both IRA owners and for those who are the beneficiaries of an IRA.  Did you know that you can be subject to RMDs even if you’re nowhere near age 73?  If you aren’t familiar with the rules, you may wind up paying a lot more in taxes than you thought. As usual, it’s all about strategy.
Is Sequence of Returns Risk a Threat to Your Nest Egg?- Episode 154
Managing Your Financial Future

Is Sequence of Returns Risk a Threat to Your Nest Egg?- Episode 154

October 24, 2023

After years of building your savings, there are a number of scenarios that threaten to deplete it. One of them is called Sequence of Returns Risk. Simply put, this means that if you retire just when the stock market takes a downturn, and you’re selling stocks to provide yourself with an income, you’re courting disaster. What can you do about this? The answer may be as easy as choosing the right withdrawal strategy.
Strategies To Protect Your Family’s Wealth – Episode 153
Managing Your Financial Future

Strategies To Protect Your Family’s Wealth – Episode 153

October 17, 2023

Most people are aware that there are two phases of your financial life: building your life savings, and then distributing that money to you at retirement.  But there’s a third phase that happens after you’re gone, which many people pay less attention to than they should: distributing your life’s assets to your heirs. Making sure your money and your possessions go where you want them to go should be one of your primary concerns.  If you don’t state your wishes in writing, your entire estate could wind up being distributed by a legal entity, thus potentially cutting out those who should be receiving it.  How do you keep this from happening?