February 15, 2019 Financial planning is part art and part science. The science portion relates to the use of academic studies to construct portfolios with various levels of risk that can be used to provide retirees a certain level of income for their lifetime. The art element is equally important because we deal with individuals, and each individual has unique...
February 15, 2019 By: John Zeltmann While it might be logical to assume that most parents (and grandparents) would like to pay for their children’s (or grandchildren’s) college education by funding 529 plans, it’s probably even more likely that most haven’t calculated how much money they’ll need to save each year in order to do so. (The exercise is frightening...
February 15, 2019 If you’re a senior on Medicare and you get sick while traveling abroad, let us try to help you calculate your out-of-pocket expenses should you get ill. The answer: Probably every dime you’re charged will come out of your pocket. As pointed out by Mary Beth Franklin writing in Investment News 1: “Medicare…stops at the US border...
February 15, 2019 A client recently emailed to suggest that we remind all our clients of the importance of umbrella insurance. It was a good suggestion. Regardless of your age, if you own any assets that you want to preserve, adding an umbrella policy helps to protect your assets. The more assets you have, the larger the umbrella policy you...
Source: Direxion Funds February 15, 2019 YEAR THREE IN THE WHITE HOUSE - This year (2019) is the 3rd year of Donald Trump’s 1st 4-year presidential term. The S&P 500 has been positive on a total return basis during 21 of the last 23 “ presidential 3rd-years,” i.e., 3rd-years dating back to 1927, including the last 19 in-a-row. The average...
January 14, 2019 By: John Zeltmann At year-end, mutual fund companies often distribute gains to shareholders in the form of capital gains distributions. Even if the fund is down for the year, shareholders may have a tax liability in their taxable accounts. These distributions are sent to investors via check, automatically deposited as cash to their brokerage account, or reinvested...
December 31, 2018 Whether we’re driven by the season, the holidays, or a new year, this is often the time of year for reflection. As long-time readers of Stan’s World can attest, I’m a big fan of volunteerism. Numerous studies have validated the physical, spiritual, social and emotional benefits of volunteerism, and I’ve been a beneficiary. Especially valuable, at least...
December 31, 2018 While the last time there was a significant change to the rules when selling a home occurred in 1997, many people seem to mix the old and ‘new’ rules when trying to figure out whether the sale of their home is taxable or not. Here is a brief refresher, compliments of Tim Steffen writing in Investment News...
December 31, 2018 If your health insurance is through Medicare, you might be paying too much for prescription medications. Consumer Reports 1 conducted a study in six cities that involved three Part D prescription drug plans. In each of the six cities, they “looked at two pharmacies and checked prices for generic versions of five common drugs.” In Denver, “Someone...
Source: Direxion Funds December 31, 2018 LONG-TERM - The S&P 500 has gained an average of +9.8% per year (total return) over the last 50 years (i.e., 1969-2018). The index was down in 2018 but has been positive in 14 of the last 16 years. Over the long-term, the S&P 500 has been up during 39 of the last 50...