When people think of life insurance, what usually comes to mind is settling the deceased’s final expenses and providing financial support for their beneficiaries. Although these are the most common uses of life insurance, cash value, or whole life insurance, they offer financial resources to other situations. Here are six cases where using life insurance […]
Investing for your retirement isn’t about getting rich quick. More often, it’s about having a game plan that you can live with over a long time. You wouldn’t expect to be able to play the piano without learning the basics and practicing. Investing for your retirement over the long term also takes a little knowledge […]
Every consumer likes a good bargain, particularly value investors, who seek out stocks trading for less than their intrinsic value. By choosing companies the market has undervalued, or investing in mutual funds with similar objectives, value investors may realize positive returns. With proper diversification, the prudent use of a value-based investment philosophy may well serve […]
In golf, as in finances, there are a few rules of thumb that may improve your game: keep a level head, avoid traps, practice before trying something new and stay the course. Applying lessons from the golf course to your financial life and vice versa may help you improve your game in both arenas. Here […]
One of the challenges of investing during retirement is providing for annual income while balancing that need with other considerations, such as liquidity, how long you need your funds to last, your risk tolerance, and anticipated rates of return for various types of investments. Annuities may be seen as a full or partial solution, since […]
When a spouse dies, the emotional magnitude of the loss can send your life reeling. It can also affect your finances. You are pressured to do many things all at once. It is best to leave off bigger long-term decisions until later, when you are less distressed by your bereavement. With the passage of time, […]
The road map to replacing old-fashioned carbon-emitting cars with electric vehicles is well developed – at least in theory. All the major car makers (and even some of the smaller ones) are publicly committed to electric. But actually, buying a new electric car? That’s another matter entirely. Volkswagen, the largest car manufacturer in the world, […]
A bear market is officially here thanks largely to stubbornly high inflation. For many of us, it has probably felt like a bear market for a while now, but the S&P 500 Index didn’t close more than 20% below its January 3 record high until Monday. Tech stocks are down a lot more—the Nasdaq Composite […]
Over the next twenty years, a wealth transfer will occur that exceeds $30 trillion as the Baby Boomer generation passes the remainder of their wealth to the Millennials and subsequent generations. The Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) are considered the wealthiest generation, currently controlling 70% of the disposable income in the United States. It is imperative […]
Working towards financial independence can often be a lifelong process. But for many, financial freedom may come far sooner—and include some fun along the way. What are the differences between financial independence and financial freedom, and what steps can you take to work towards both goals? Here we discuss the answers to these questions and […]