It would only be a slight exaggeration to say I prefer getting to airports long before my flight is scheduled to depart. I want to have an unhurried drive, a calm wait as I go through security, buy some snacks, sit down, and put my feet up. At least for this part of the journey, I want to be in control.
J.P. Morgan recently published its annual Guide to Retirement. We reviewed the Guide and wanted to share some of our favorite slides. Enjoy!
It’s not uncommon for the stock market to fall more than 10 or even 20% in many years. Markets react to world events ongoing every day, and they rise and fall accordingly. Don’t be deterred or disillusioned by a fluctuating or falling stock market.
We moved to the Town of Westfield with the idea that we would stay for 10 years and then move on to the next step of our lives. We never defined that next step because 10 years is a long time, and perhaps that explains why our former 10-year plan will soon be 20 years old.
When we speak with clients about their legal documents, clients often question why they need wills, powers of attorney, or health care proxies. The answer is we don’t know how life will unfold. Sadly, we’ve witnessed calamitous events happening to people of all ages.
When you hear the phrase ‘the market is rich,’ it refers to the stock market having a high P/E ratio. But let's learn a little more about what that truly means...
If you want to stay close to your family, or to your friends, start a tradition. You don’t necessarily have to announce it’s a tradition, but you will have to repeat it for it to become a tradition. My hunch is repeating the same event a few times will put it on everyone’s calendar, and voila, a tradition is born.
You won’t have to search for long before you find a headline blaring a warning that the market is too high. Or too richly valued. Or it’s been these many days since the last recession. Or these many days since the previous bear market. It’s not profound to state that each day brings us closer to a market peak because we’re always one day closer to a market peak. But what to make of these prognostications?
For years, large private equity firms have lobbied to gain access to smaller investors. Specifically, there has been a long-running campaign to add private equity investments to 401(k) plans. It appears those efforts may be starting to pay off.
To what extent should we offer to help family members who are struggling with finances? Would you turn down an adult child, or grandchild, if they needed help? And if you did turn them down, how might that impact you emotionally? Or how might it affect your relationship with your family?