Part 3: Can’t I Do This Myself?
Believe it or not, the simple answer is, “You can, but most likely you won’t.” Emotions – How do you feel about a 10% market downturn? If you have $10,000 in savings, the $1,000 loss stings, but it is not the end of the world in terms of retirement. How about if you have $1,000,000? […]
Tony Farella in USA Today!
The USA Today published an article by our one and only Tony Farella. (Link) The full text version is shown below. Is it worth paying for 401(k) advice? Christine Dugas, Money Watch columnist5:13p.m. EST March 9, 2013 (Photo: Thinkstock) STORY HIGHLIGHTS Investment advisors usually have more knowledge and discipline 401(k) plan participants may not […]
What Grade Does Your Retirement Account Get?
Schools and parents have always taught students to strive for A’s and B’s. In fact, it would be hard to do well in school without using grades as goals or milestones. Unfortunately after school, grades fall off the radar. By translating retirement savings into something as simple as a letter grade, retirement preparation can be […]
Diversify your 401(k)
If you currently work for a publicly traded company, there is a good chance that you own some of their stock in your 401(k). You may even have incentives from the company to own more of it. In fact, some companies make their matches or profit sharing contributions in their own stock which just increases […]
Fund your Retirement, not Wall Street!
A recent article in The Economist talks about the reasons to stick with low cost ETF’s and proper asset allocation for the long term success. “The best way for investors to play the odds is to choose low-cost ETFs or trackers and diversify geographically and across asset classes. It is not an exciting strategy. It will […]
Controlling Costs – A Financial Recipe for Success
I have seen people drive miles out of their way for the cheapest gas, shop at multiple grocery stores for the best prices, and even wake up at uncanny hours to receive the best deals on holiday presents! As consumers we are always looking for a good deal, and price is one of the largest […]
401(k) Fee Disclosure Coming Soon . . .
If you have a 401(k) account, your next statement may not look much different, but it will contain some very interesting and powerful information. During the last several years, increased focus has been given to the expenses and fees charged to retirement plan participants. The Department of Labor (DOL) recently published regulations under the Employee […]
Is our retirement system broken?
Professor Teresa Ghilarducci has an opinion piece in the NY Times this week lambasting our evolving approach to retirement. She has some good points. Our Ridiculous Approach to Retirement By TERESA GHILARDUCCI Published: July 21, 2012
Financial Planning Etiquette: Clients First!
“The interests of the client continue to be sidelined in the way the firm operates and thinks about money.” This is a direct quotation from Greg Smith’s recent op-ed that he penned after stepping down as a senior executive of Goldman Sachs. Holding himself up as a man of integrity, Mr. Smith couldn’t stand working […]
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff . . . Well Maybe Sometimes
In the world we live in today, we are constantly reminded not to sweat the small stuff. We are told to not let the little things get in the way of living our lives and pursuing our dreams! That is so true and why we shouldn’t worry about the gossip being spread around at work, […]