Retirement Planning

Annuities have a rich history dating back to Ancient Rome. Today, millions of Americans currently use annuities to supplement their retirement income. They can be an important part of a diversified retirement portfolio because they can ensure that your retirement income is protected even when there are downturns in the market. On the surface, annuities […]

The SECURE Act made big changes to many different retirement rules and guidelines when it was passed back in 2019. Well, get ready for more changes, courtesy of the SECURE Act 2.0. The bill was approved by the House Ways and Means Committee this spring and is expected to be signed into law by next

Today’s challenges for retirees and those nearing retirement are well documented. Traditional fixed income, which has served investors well for decades, now delivers little in terms of yield or capital gain potential. In the mid-1970s through the late 1990s when interest rates were extraordinarily high, U.S. 10-Year Treasury Bills paid between 7% and 8% annual

One of the first things people do once they get serious about planning and saving for retirement is look to a retirement calculator to find out how much they need to save for retirement. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, every person’s situation is completely different. What might be the right amount for one person

With so many retirement investment strategies to choose from, how can you know which are the best investments for income and retirement overall? The truth is that everyone’s situation is different. As a result, the strategy that might be best for you could be quite different from what’s best for your neighbor. Generally speaking, however,

Without goals we lack focus, and without focus we’re much less likely to succeed. That’s certainly true when it comes to planning for retirement. The idea of identifying your retirement goals can seem daunting, and it’s often why many people fail to do it. Regardless of how scary it may seem, setting goals is an

Since many Americans are enjoying more years in retirement, it’s become imperative for those approaching retirement to establish reliable streams of income they can count on. That’s the aim of investing for income—having enough income, on a consistent basis, that allows you to cover your expenses, so you can avoid delving into the principal balance

First, let’s start with a few sobering financial literacy facts: Over 50% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck1 20% of Americans don’t save any of their annual income for retirement2 Americans hold over $1 trillion in credit card debt with an average interest rate of 17.89% for new cards and 14.52% on existing cards3 Financial knowledge doesn’t happen

Fixed income is commonly referred to as those types of investment securities that pay an investor fixed interest (or dividend) until its maturity date. Upon maturity, investors are repaid the principal amount they had invested. Common fixed income investments include: Treasury bonds Government and agency bonds Municipal bonds Corporate bonds Mortgage-backed securities Certificates of deposit

We all want to retire comfortably. But what does “comfortable” really mean when it comes to retirement? And how do you create a plan that helps you achieve it? Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula. However, making sure your strategy includes certain key ingredients can greatly increase your odds of success. In my experience, there are