Articles and Videos

Investing and Personal Finance

Are You Really Diversified?

September 30, 2021

You’ve probably heard that diversification of your investments is a good thing. And it would seem to make sense that by keeping all of your eggs out of a single basket, and spreading your wealth across different asset classes and geographies, you may be able to avoid the catastrophic risk that often comes with just… View Article

Managing Your Financial Future

Know Your Pension Options: Lump Sum, or Annuity? – Season 7: Episode 3

September 28, 2021

For anyone with a pension, the decision of how to take the payments is an important one.  Are you offered the choice to take the entire amount as a lump sum?  If so, you’ve got to know about what could happen when you decide to go one way or the other. And for married people, there are even more choices, compounding the issue even further.

Capitalize

CAPitalize Your Savings -Season 2: Episode 6

September 27, 2021

People sometimes wonder if “Cash is King,” or if “Cash is Trash.”   What if the answer is neither…or both?   Something as simple as how much you need to have in savings truly depends on your individual situation — and the variables are endless.  Do you work for the government and have a steady income?  Are you an owner of a company where your income fluctuates?  Are you a dentist and perhaps struggle to understand how much cash to have in your personal savings and business account?   On today’s episode, I talk about how to be prudent with your savings (and where to store it)!

Lucia Capital Group Weekly

Let’s Manage Your Tax Bill

September 22, 2021

So we’ve still got some time left in 2021, which means that right now may be a great opportunity to do a little tax planning. This is especially true if you’re retired and you’re looking for ways to potentially lower your tax bill, either right now, or over the long-term. Here are a few things… View Article

Managing Your Financial Future

How Should You Invest in Your 401k?- Season 7: Episode 2

September 21, 2021

If you’ve ever looked at your investment options inside your 401k plan (or other retirement plan at work), you might have felt overwhelmed by the number of choices. Even if your choices aren’t necessarily numerous, how do you know whether you should go all in with stocks, or maybe keep it safer with a blend of volatile and non-volatile assets?  This decision is big, and going the wrong way can lead to significantly different outcomes in the future. 

Managing Your Financial Future

Roth or Traditional IRA – How Do You Decide?- Season 7: Episode 1

September 14, 2021

When it comes to saving for retirement, the decision to put your money into either a Roth or a Traditional IRA may be more complicated than you think.  Part of the decision involves your tax bracket today vs. your tax bracket at retirement, but there’s more to it than that. When is investing in a Roth IRA a better idea than a traditional?  On the other hand, who should consider a Traditional IRA over a Roth?  And what are the consequences, good and bad, of doing one or the other? 

Lucia Capital Group Weekly

Two Roth Rules You Need to Know

September 14, 2021

The Roth IRA was made available to us back in 1998, and for many people it’s been a useful tax-advantaged tool to help save for retirement.  If you’re unfamiliar with the Roth IRA, it works like this: You put money in on a post-tax basis, and, if you follow the rules properly, any potential gains you realize from… View Article

Capitalize

CAPitalize Your Expenses -Season 2: Episode 5

September 13, 2021

An often-overlooked aspect of personal finance is how much you spend each month — yet getting a grasp on it is “mission critical.” For many people, talking about spending and expenses is embarrassing, overwhelming, and sometimes downright despicable.  My question is this: why does it have to be that way? Wouldn’t it be great if you could have someone to listen to, who can calmly and systematically break down “Expenses 101” so you could walk away and feel confident about everything there is to know regarding your spending habits and needs? Well, guess what: you’ve come to the right place!

Lucia Capital Group Weekly

Can You Reduce Your Risk Without Sacrificing Your Return?

September 8, 2021

When we meet with someone for the first time, we often find that they’re taking far more risk than they should, given their stated objectives.  They understandably like the greater potential for return, but in order to get that return, they figure they’ve got to raise the risk. And yes: risk and return do generally go… View Article

Capitalize

CAPitalizing Your Cash -Season 2: Episode 4

August 30, 2021

Cash: is it good or is it bad? Here’s a better question: How much is too much?  Believe it or not, there is such thing as having too much cash! On today’s Episode, “CAPitalizing Your Cash,” I take you through the good, bad and ugly in regards to this often-misunderstood asset.  Cash is both valuable and useless — so understanding the BALANCE is key. Tune in, and prepare to view cash in a totally different way!

Managing Your Financial Future

How Much Can I Withdraw From My Portfolio?- Season 6: Episode 12

August 23, 2021

So you’ve made it to retirement, and, presumably, you’ve got a certain amount of money saved up that you’ll need to tap into from time to time.  But you’re concerned: you don’t want to take too much, because you don’t now how long you’ll live, and thus have no idea how much is “too much” to take out. This is a common dilemma for retirees.  You need a certain amount to meet your basic expenses, but the money may have to last at least a few decades.  Is there a “safe” amount you can withdraw each month so that you won’t outlive your savings?

Managing Your Financial Future

How Your Pension May Reduce Your Social Security Benefits- Season 6: Episode 11

August 17, 2021

So let’s say your idea is to take your Social Security early, maybe age 62 or 63, and then wait until age 65 to begin your pension benefits.  You know what both your Social Security and pension payments will be, and so you set up your budget and your lifestyle accordingly. But then you find out, maybe too late, that your Social Security payments have been reduced — or even eliminated — once those pension benefits kick in.  All of your careful planning has been cast overboard, and now you have to wing it.  That scenario can happen to those who aren’t aware of the rules regarding Social Security benefits and certain pension payments.  Find out more about what to expect, and how to deal with it