We often speak with individuals who provide us with calculations for our retirement income, which calculations are based on various assumptions, from asset allocation to market projections to future returns that may turn out to be wrong. Assumptions are only ever indicative or directional, and while a valuable exercise, a retirement strategy based on these types of assumptions looks a lot better on a spreadsheet than in real life. The problem is, if the assumptions are wrong, oftentimes there is no time to even try to undo the damage. So what do you do if you want a retirement income

We frequently receive inquiries from family members of decedent owners of various insurance products where there is a disconnect between their impression of who the owner of the policy wanted to be a beneficiary, and who, in fact, ended up becoming the beneficiary. So, we thought to address that topic briefly in this commentary.  While you should always consult your personal attorney for legal questions, from a very general standpoint, the beneficiary of assets in retirement accounts such as IRAs, 401(k)s, and life insurance payouts are typically identified in the product documents. These designations supersede any conflicting instructions in your

No, you’re probably not imagining it. 69% percent of Americans surveyed by Lending Tree in 2023 reported they’d paid an extra fee when using a credit card for a purchase. A smaller, more recent survey by WalletHub put that figure at 79%, with 85% of the participants saying that credit card charges made them feel “nickel-and-dimed”.  It isn’t just the additional credit card fees that are being tacked on, many are also reporting that their annual fee for just having that credit card has also increased, sometimes without them even realizing it. We suggest you make a note in your

Have you heard this phrase? It is often used to refer to the anxiety and stress that people feel in the years leading up to retirement. While it is common to feel a sense of stress with any major change, many feel a higher level of anxiety as they approach retirement due to the various unknowns. This may include not knowing your longevity, what your future health needs will be, or if those family members close to you will experience their own change that requires your assistance. We may be able to help you reduce that anxiety by helping you

At this time of year there tends to be discussion about what our New Year’s resolution will be. Researchers suggest that only 9% of Americans that make resolutions complete them. In fact, research goes on to show that 23% of people quit their resolutions by the end of the first week, and 88% fail them within the first two weeks. It’s not a lack of willpower that causes them to fall by the wayside, it’s actually a function of fatigue. For most people there comes a point, usually at the end of each day, when we suffer from decision fatigue.