What is an Annuity? What you should know about them. Provided by Marc Aarons Individuals hold about $2.5 trillion in annuity contracts; a tidy sum considering an estimated $12.2 trillion is held in all types of IRAs.1 Annuity contracts are purchased from an insurance company. In exchange, the insurance company makes regular payments to […]
Should You Downsize for Retirement? Some retirees save a great deal of money by doing so; others do not. Provided by Marc Aarons You want to retire, and you own a large home that is nearly or fully paid off. The kids are gone, but the upkeep costs haven’t fallen. Should you retire […]
THE RETIREMENT REALITY CHECK Little things to keep in mind for life after work. Presented by Marc Aarons Decades ago, there was a book entitled What They Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School. Perhaps someday, another book will appear to discuss certain aspects of the retirement experience that go unrecognized – […]
Will the GDP Report Suggest a Recession? The advanced report on first-quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was just released. Perhaps no other economic report this year will be more scrutinized. Those looking for economic clues that could signal a recession will undoubtedly dissect the GDP report like a CSI team in a lab. […]
Inflation Creeping into Personal Finances Provided by Marc Aarons If you have a balance on a credit card or an adjustable rate mortgage, you might be noticing changes in your payments. Higher interest rates are starting to ripple through the personal finance landscape, and it doesn’t look like that trend will change anytime soon. […]
April Is Financial Literacy Month April marks the start of Financial Literacy Month, a nationally recognized movement to promote and support financial understanding in children and teens. For many, it’s a fantastic opportunity to teach and connect with their children or grandchildren, and these kids are ready to learn! Recent data shows that nearly 74% […]
Are You Retiring Within the Next 5 Years? What to focus on as the transition approaches Provided by Marc Aarons You can prepare for the transition years in advance. In doing so, you may be better equipped to manage anything unexpected that may come your way. How much monthly income will you need? Unfortunately, […]
Why Don’t All Affluent People Become Wealthy? Perception, hesitation, & poor decisions are factors. Provided by Marc Aarons Why do some people let their potential for lifetime wealth slip away? Some people are better off economically at 30 or 40 than they are at 50 or 60. In some cases, fate deals them […]
The Fed Makes Its Move Provided by Marc Aarons The Federal Reserve recently announced that for the first time in three years, it would increase short-term interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point. In addition, the Fed has stated that it would like to see short-term interest rates near 2% by the […]
How Market Cycles Can Impact Retirements Sequence of returns can play a role in your overall portfolio. Provided by Marc Aarons A thoughtful retirement strategy may help you pursue your many retirement goals. That strategy must consider many factors, and here are just a few: your income needs, the order of your withdrawals from taxable […]