6 Reasons for a “Rainy Day” Emergency Fund Presented by Marc Aarons   I’m reaching out this spring to highlight an issue of utmost importance: being prepared financially for the unexpected. With spring showers picking up around us, there’s no better time to talk about saving up a financial cushion to shield you from life’s […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

It’s a new year, full of new possibilities for what may lie ahead.  Provided by Marc Aarons  By any measure, 2021 was a strong year for investors. But what’s in store for 2022? From my perspective, I expect that many of the same forces that influenced markets last year will play a role again in […]

One lesser-known indicator is called the Baltic Dry Index.  Provided by Marc Aarons  You see it in prices at the grocery store and the gas station. You feel it in your monthly budget. So why don’t the financial markets seem too concerned about inflation? Remember, financial markets are considered “discounting mechanisms,” meaning they are looking […]

Wise investors take the “big picture” view. Provided by Marc Aarons  CNBC’s Mad Money host Jim Cramer created the popular FAANG acronym to denote some of the largest, most powerful companies in the world: Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google. Recently, changes in those companies are reflected in Cramer’s new acronym: MAMAA, which stands for […]

Here are some things you might consider before saying goodbye to 2021.  Provided by Marc Aarons  What has changed for you in 2021? For some, this year has been as complicated as learning a new dance. Did you start a new job or leave a job behind? That’s one step. Did you retire? There’s another […]

Some parents and grandparents have that possibility in mind.  Provided by Marc Aarons  Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) are for retirement saving, right? Absolutely. Is that their only purpose? Not necessarily. Imagine using an IRA not only to save, but to facilitate a home purchase. This would obviously be a tall order for an adult, given […]

What does this mean for your overall retirement strategy? Provided by Marc Aarons  Your workplace retirement account can play a critical role in your overall retirement strategy. However, some have gone further with the accounts than others, especially recently. CNBC reported on findings that place 401(k) accounts at all-time highs, with some even joining the […]