How to Retire Blog

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Time is our most precious resource and I thank you for allowing me to get a few minutes of your time each week. I hope you find the blog helpful and informative. Send me an email if there is ever a topic you would be interested in learning more about. I will research it and write a future blog about it.

The Real Value Of A Financial Advisor

As your adviser we are a walking talking insurance plan hired to protect one of the largest assets you own, your retirement nest egg.

What Can We Learn From The GameStop Debacle?

February 2, 2021 Investment Retirement Funding Insights

"The majority, if not all, of financial input you get from the "news" is journalistic. And journalism by nature, stays in business by selling you the news which is timely, as opposed to the truth, which is timeless." Nick Murray

What is My Tax Bracket for 2021?

January 11, 2021 Retirement Funding

Being "in" a certain tax bracket doesn't mean you pay that federal income tax rate on everything you make. The progressive tax system means that people with higher taxable incomes are subject to higher federal income tax rates, and people with lower taxable incomes are subject to lower federal income tax rates.

Try Something Different With Your Goals This Year

January 4, 2021 Insights

Happy New Year! It's that time of year when many of us resolve to change things for the coming year. We make a list of goals that we plan to stick to for the remainder of the following year. That’s great. What's not great is that the overwhelming majority of us don't stick to those goals. I can't actually prove why but my theory is that most of us have goals that create deprivation. Meaning our goal includes depriving ourselves of something we really like doing.

Retirement Boils Down To One Simple Question

December 28, 2020 Retirement Funding Insights

If you spent ten minutes reading economic forecasts for 2021, you wasted ten minutes that you will never get back. By the way, time is your most valuable asset. Invest it wisely. Anyway, I re-read some of the 2020 outlooks from several of the most respected and well known forecasters in the financial industry such as Vanguard, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, etc. You know what I noticed?

Can A 529 Plan Hurt Your Child's Chance Of Receiving Financial Aid?

December 21, 2020 College Planning Investment Insights

Good intentions sometimes have bad consequences. A perfect example can be opening a 529 plan for your child or grandchild. Depending on the financial situations of the parties involved the intentions of helping the child can possibly (key word is possibly) have the consequence of hurting the child chances of financial aid in the future. Let's explore how.

Should You Take Your Company's Lump Sum Offer or the Lifetime Pension Annuity Offer?

December 7, 2020 Retirement Funding

So you are closing in on retirement, and you are faced with a difficult choice regarding your defined-benefit pension plan: Should you accept the traditional, lifetime monthly annuity payments or take the lump sum distribution?

Retirement: Five Essential Points With A Little Commentary

November 30, 2020 Investment Retirement Funding Insights

Retirement has two doors. One leads to a chance of success. One leads to certain failure.

Is Robinhood Commission Free Investing Really Free? Spoiler Alert-It's Not.

November 16, 2020 Investment Insights

In short, Robinhood is an online trading platform that allows its customers to buy and sell stocks for free. They target rookie and novice investors by using gamification and of course everyone's favorite word...free. But is it really free? Let's break it down.

Easy Financial Math!

November 3, 2020 Investment Retirement Funding

Thinking about retiring soon? Trying to decide when or if you'll have enough money? Here's a quick financial tip that you can use right this minute. It's called the Rule of 72.

The Social Security Administration Has Announced Cost of Living Adjustments & Tax Changes For 2021. Here's What You Need to Know

October 19, 2020 Retirement Funding

The Social Security Administration announced a 2021 Cost of Living Increase of 1.3% on Oct. 13, 2020. Whether you’re currently working or enjoying retirement, here’s how you may be affected.

11 Questions You Should Ask Any Financial Advisor You Interview

October 12, 2020 Retirement Funding

If you are retiring soon or just exploring a relationship with a financial advisor, be sure to ask these 10 questions during the interview process.

Presidential Elections & The Stock Market: Is There a Correlation?

October 5, 2020

Does the upcoming election mean it's time to reassess your portfolio? A historical look at presidential elections & the stock market can help you decide.

Back to Basics: 9 Common Insurance Mistakes to Avoid

September 28, 2020 Retirement Funding Misc.

Choosing an insurance policy that works best for you and your family is so important. When you shop around and find the correct one, it can not only benefit your health but save you money.

The Secret to Investing

September 10, 2020 Investment Retirement Funding Insights

Investing is like planting a tree, you plant it in the earth, and a wonderful force of nature (compound interest) causes it to take root, and to grow.

The Stock Market and the Economy Are Not the Same: A Guide to Understanding the Difference

September 8, 2020 Insights Misc.

Stocks have been up — but unemployment has also risen. Why is that? Here, we break down the major differences between the stock market and the economy.