Tag Archives: financial security
Challenges facing bond investors, reasons to hold them
The following chart from Natixis Investments demonstrates how interest rates impact bond markets, particularly long-term government bonds. Over the past 30 years, generally declining interest rates have fueled bond returns that have easily outpaced inflation (6% real return). But go … Continue reading
Deciding When to Start Social Security
The decision about when to start receiving Social Security benefits is, for many people, the single biggest factor in determining financial security in retirement. Alicia Munnell and her team at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College have produced … Continue reading
Managing Risk; The Most Important Part of the Plan
Each of us thinks about the risks that we take in our own way. Some people have no difficulty taking risk in their personal lives but are more risk averse in their financial decisions. Others are just the opposite. We … Continue reading
Protect Your Greatest Asset—Your Income
May is National Disability Insurance Awareness Month. Myths and assumptions about the need, or lack thereof, for disability insurance make it critical that more awareness is developed to understand the potential risk of losing your income. Your ability to earn … Continue reading
Russell Investments, 18 months from “best” to a mess
As we close 2009, you likely have already seen some decade reviews, best-of lists, worst-of lists, and the like. Here is our perspective on the startling transformation of Russell Investments from the best-of category to something not so worthy of recognition over … Continue reading
Perils of the 401k
Long before the bear market from October 2007 to March 2009, employer retirement plans such as the 401k and 403b, left a lot of investors unfulfilled and disillusioned. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 was meant to improve these plans … Continue reading →