In these crazy times, we have lots to think about. With the Great Pandemic raging and unemployment soaring, some of us find ourselves thinking about mortality and about the fragility of good health. Experts tell us that more families are doing estate planning, buying life insurance, and pre-paying for funerals. As regular readers of this …
Social Security
14 retirement mistakes to avoid
As a professional retirement planner, I go through the process of retiring approximately 12 times a year with my clients. I see firsthand the process and hazards that families deal with as they shift from working for a living to living off their retirement. Here is a list of things to avoid as you consider …
Does Social Security ever contact you by phone?
I’m hearing more about telephone scams where the scammer is pretending to be a government employee. Scammers will try to scare and trick people into giving them their personal information and money. The scammers may threaten victims or their families and may demand immediate payment to avoid arrest or other legal action. What should I …
Three ways to protect yourself against a recession
We’ve been hearing conflicting reports about whether a recession is looming. A recent survey of 500 Americans shows many are worried about a recession and plan to adjust. If you’re in that category—or even if you’re not—now is a good time to take action to protect yourself in case of a recession. Almost four in …
What Do I Need to Know About the SECURE Act?
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 was passed by Congress and signed into law at the end of 2019. The SECURE Act, as it’s known, represents the most sweeping set of changes to retirement legislation in more than a decade. It has several benefits for American retirees—and some drawbacks as …
Five Wealth-Destroying Habits to Avoid
Regular readers know that I expect the economy to slip into recession within the next 12 months. This is based on the expert analysis of veteran economists whom I trust. However, I’ve been thinking this for the last two years, and been proven wrong. It’s a reminder that none of us knows as much as …
