Monday, September 26th, 2011
What does your tattoo say?
Eighty-one-year-old Joy Tomkins of Great Britain recently had the words “Do Not Resuscitate” tattooed on her chest to advise doctors of her wish to not be revived in the event of a grave medical emergency. Additionally, she had “P.T.O” (Please Turn Over) and an arrow tattooed on her back in case paramedics should find her face down.
Britain’s General Medical Council says most doctors would ignore Tomkins’ “Do Not Resuscitate” tattoo. Instead, a spokesman said that individuals need to put their DNR wishes in writing and have them witnessed, or appoint a health attorney.
Whether you find this story amusing or not, Joy Tompkins’ “plan” is more robust than that of 50 percent of Americans. (more…)
Tags: estate planning, financial planning, wealth management
Posted in
PERSONAL FINANCE |
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Thursday, March 24th, 2011
Dear Dave: I noticed that your Baby Steps list puts saving for retirement before saving for your children’s college fund. Sending your kids to college would come first on the timeline, so why do you suggest this? —Jen
Dear Jen: I advise this approach because everyone is going to retire someday, unless, of course, they happen to die before reaching retirement age. Retiring and eating are necessities. College is a luxury. Lots of people succeed in life without going to college, and thousands have worked their way through college. I worked 40 to 60 hours a week in college, and I still graduated in four years. (more…)
Tags: budget, college, debt, divorce, emotions, financial freedom, financial planning, goal setting, retirement planning, savings
Posted in
PERSONAL FINANCE |
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Saturday, March 19th, 2011
During the halcyon years preceding the Great Recession, many investors were lulled into believing that if they only contributed regularly to a retirement account, they reasonably could expect a materially comfortable life in their golden years.
Much has changed. IRA and 401(k) savings were sliced in half during the stock-market free fall of 2008 and early 2009. Despite a rebound, the market’s recovery has come in fits with frequent setbacks.
Equity investments, like the age-indexed mutual funds that became widely popular early in the last decade, have lost their luster. (more…)
Tags: 401(k), bonds, exchange traded funds, financial planning, goals, INVESTING, retirement planning, savings, stocks
Posted in
INVESTING |
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Thursday, March 17th, 2011
More Americans — now more than one in four — fear they won’t have enough money when they retire, and fewer are confident they do have enough, according to a new survey.
The survey conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute shows that turmoil in the markets and investment losses suffered during the recent recession have left many Americans fretful about their prospects for a financially secure retirement. (more…)
Tags: financial planning, INVESTING, retirement planning, retirement savings
Posted in
BLOG |
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Thursday, January 13th, 2011
The 2008 financial meltdown devastated retirement portfolios, turning the lifelong dreams of countless Americans into bitter disappointments. A double whammy for many retirees was realized when they discovered their supposedly balanced investments were anything but and asked their brokers what happened.
Advocates for retirees say in some cases people failed to understand their brokers’ fiduciary role. Though a broker’s business card might say “financial adviser,” often his first duty is to his firm. (more…)
Tags: disclosure, financial advisers, financial planning, financial reform, retirement planning
Posted in
RETIREMENT |
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Friday, November 19th, 2010
If you’re reading this, you obviously are interested in building wealth. Investing can be an excellent way to do that. But before you start buying stocks, take a moment to consider the following common investment errors—and make sure you avoid them.
The first error is the most basic: the failure to invest at all. Some people think their money is safest while sitting in a bank account. But let’s look at the fallacy of that argument. It’s true that money in a bank is at virtually no risk of being lost. At the same time, most savings accounts pay little interest. (more…)
Tags: budget, debt, financial adviser, financial planning, INVESTING, retirement planning, savings, stocks
Posted in
INVESTING |
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Thursday, November 4th, 2010
So you are an investor or have decided you will become one. How do you develop a solid investment strategy?
First, determine your goals. Then, establish how much time and money you have to invest. Finally, choose a mix of investment products that fit your situation.
Your Goals
Of course, every investor wants to earn money. But you must force yourself to be specific. How much money do you want to earn? How soon will you need those funds and for what purposes? (more…)
Tags: exchange traded funds, financial planning, goals, growth, INVESTING, mutual funds, retirement planning, STOCK MARKET, stocks, value
Posted in
INVESTING |
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Tuesday, September 21st, 2010
Are you ready to start your own business but lack the capital necessary to buy or establish one? Then becoming a consultant might be the right choice for you. Businesses spend more than $12 billion a year on consultants, so there’s definitely a market for consultants in a wide range of areas.
As a first step, consider the timing. Are you in a position to continue drawing a salary at your current job while setting up your consulting business? That is the preferred strategy, as it takes some of the financial pressure (more…)
Tags: business startup, consultant, consulting, financial planning, Internet marketing, lifestyle redesign, online marketing, social media
Posted in
BUSINESS |
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Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
Dear Dave: My husband was laid off three months ago, and I’m afraid we’re about to lose our home. I’ve been working three part-time jobs to help keep our heads above water, but he says the economy’s bad, and he’s waiting for the “right” job. The bills are piling up, and I don’t know what to do. —Paula
Dear Paula: When a guy loses a job, it’s a devastating blow. Many guys are task-oriented, and define themselves by what they do rather than who they are. That’s not a good thing.
When I went broke several years ago, (more…)
Tags: entrepreneur, financial planning, goal setting, jobless, mortgage, savings, unemployed
Posted in
PERSONAL FINANCE |
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Friday, January 8th, 2010
While everyone should become educated about money, wealth generation, investing and the best ways to expand his or her life, not everyone has the education and experience of a financial planner.
A good financial planner can help you create a personal roadmap to achieve your wealth goals.
Here are some of the things a solid financial planner should be able to do for you:
- Help you make a plan to get out of credit debt.
- Assist you in setting up a working budget and establishing beginning financial goals for the short-term, such as establishing an emergency fund, college fund and short-term savings. (more…)
Tags: budget, debt, financial planning, wealth generation
Posted in
ARCHIVES, PERSONAL FINANCE |
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