November 15, 2019

One of my daughters recently took a call on her cell phone because the caller ID showed the name of one of her sisters. But when she answered, she was surprised to find that it was a solicitation. Surprise! How’d they do that?

Source: Direxion Funds

November 15, 2019

• BIG PERCENTAGE – The market cap of the S&P 500 is 80% of the total market capitalization of all US stocks as of 9/30/19 (source: BTN Research).

• IS THAT ENOUGH? - 58% of 1,015 Americans surveyed in August 2019 believe that a retiree who has accumulated $1 million in pre-tax investment accounts will be able to enjoy a “comfortable” lifestyle in retirement (source: TD Ameritrade).

September 30, 2019

I’ve detected recurring patterns when working with clients of different ages. Clients in their 40s and early 50s, for example, tend to ask various questions that pertain to the theme “How am I going to get there?” They want to know how much they need to save, how many years they have to work, and how much their portfolios will need to grow in order to reach “there”. “There” is an undetermined date in the future when work as they know it will cease, where they live will change, and how they live will be different. While “there” is often not well defined, it clearly represents a lifestyle change from “now”.

September 30, 2019

AARP¹ offers the following technology security tips, good for all ages. Forgive the duplication if we repeat some tips that we’ve previously discussed because you can never have too much security.  If you think these services may be appropriate for you, consider signing up.

September 30, 2019

Who doesn’t get excited about buying a new car? You’ve finished haggling with the salesperson, removed all the loose change in the seat cushions of the old car, and you’re all set to savor that new car smell. Before you drive off the lot, Consumer Reports¹ suggests you wipe your old car clean. Not the exterior, but a deep clean of the data you left behind.

Source: Direxion Funds

September 30, 2019

• I’M ALL DONE WITH MY WORK - An average American worker has increased his/her productivity by +97% in the last 35 years, i.e., an average worker can complete in 1 hour as of 12/31/18 the same amount of work that it took him/her 2 hours to finish as of 12/31/83 (source: Department of Labor).
• I QUIT - 3.43 million American workers quit their jobs in June 2019. A decade earlier, just 1.79 million American workers quit their jobs in June 2009 (during the nation’s 2008-09 recession). A higher “quit level” is indicative of a greater level of confidence in finding a new job to replace one’s current occupation (source: Department of Labor).
• SHOULD WE BUY TODAY? - 70% of Americans surveyed in June 2019 think “it’s a good time to buy a house.” That percentage was as high as 83% in December 2014 and has been as low as 57% in October 2008 (source: University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers).

August 15, 2019

Despite my non-violent predilection, should I ever meet the person who coined the phrase “Growing old gracefully,” I would probably hit him. After all, how many seniors do you know who have aged gracefully? Some seniors I know may be less aggrieved than others, but virtually everyone I know has one (or more) afflictions.  

I can’t speak for all seniors, but I have found aging to be, well, an interesting experience. We all know about “senior moments”: Why did I walk into this room? What’s the damn name of the person who’s walking towards me in the supermarket? Who did I just dial? Why didn’t the kids give all the grandchildren the same name?

August 15, 2019

During periods of volatility, or in anticipation of volatility, or just about any day of the week, it’s common to speak to a client or two about market volatility. The questions are often similar: “How can I get market returns with less risk?” Or, “Can’t we sell everything and go back in when things settle down?”

August 15, 2019

Life expectancy has increased over the past 100 years. Thus, it’s not uncommon for clients to suggest that their retirement plan include an extended life span, sometimes to 95 years or more. But if a plan covers retirement to age 95 (or beyond), is there a downside?

August 15, 2019

We’ve previously written about helping young children to learn about charity and savings. Those lessons can be life-long, and life-changing, and they shouldn’t stop. 

As the New York Times¹ points out in an article titled “The Birds and the Bees. Why Not Bequests? Parents will talk to their children about drugs or sex, but often won’t discuss inheritance,” we often limit the lessons we teach our children, especially our adult children.