Does Investing Inertia Have You Trapped?

by Natalie Babik on

Investors are prone to many behavioral mistakes that can cost them dearly. Trying to time the market, trying to pick the winners, chasing returns, trying to go it alone are among the most common. But the one that can inflict the most damage over a period of time is when they succumb to investing inertia. What is investing inertia?

How to Plan Long-Term Care Before You Need It

by Natalie Babik on

It’s daunting to think about the day when you may not be able to live independently and care for yourself. But planning early for long-term care can keep you from becoming overwhelmed in the event that you develop a chronic illness, disability or other condition. By planning your care now, you’ll be...

Why You Need an Investment Philosophy

by Natalie Babik on

There are many who would suggest that, in a digitally-wired world in which information travels at light speed to all corners, the investment playing field has been leveled between individual investors and the institutions. In reality, however, the incessant noise and information overload can do more to fuel the irrational behavior of investors than it can to provide any sort of advantage.

No one could have foreseen the convergence of two of the most consequential economic events in our history – the mass migration of the Baby Boom generation into their final life stage and the tectonic shift of a declining global economy.  Unhinged stock market volatility, rising health care costs and historically low interest rates on savings have caused millions of pre-retirees to r

Amidst the more obvious lingering effects of a sluggish economy, such as slow job growth, decreasing incomes, low interest rates and shaky consumer confidence, there lurks a more insidious threat which, thus far, has largely been ignored.

Although the stock prices are trading near their all-time highs, it hasn’t exactly been a joy ride for retirees who are counting on their retirement plans for a lifetime of income.  The type of unruly market action that we have seen over the last few months always unleashes a flurry of “expert” commentary that seems to be directed at those who are most vulnerable to flash

Caught in an extraordinary convergence of unhinged stock market volatility and historically low interest rates on savings, many people are rethinking their plans and their vision for the future, especially as they consider the prospect of having to stretch their retirement income over 25 or 30 years.  A study conducted in 2015 by the Employee Benefit Research Institute found workers of all

For as long as there has been stock markets, investors have intuitively known that expectations of returns come with commensurate expectations of risk; the higher return one expects the greater the risk one assumes in order to achieve it.

The figures out last year show that the average amount of student loan debt a student graduates with is a little more than $35,000. Most graduates are carrying multiple student loans from multiple sources, and the cost and complexity of managing them can become overwhelming, especially if they are unable to secure steady employment with sufficient cash flow to make the payments.

Why Bear Markets Don’t Matter

by Natalie Babik on

If you’ve been listening to the financial media of late you have no doubt heard some of the so-called experts prognosticating on the prospect of the next big bear market. Unquestionably, the stock market is at another crossroads, and its 7 percent increase year-to-date belies the concerns that most people have over the global economy.

Anyone with a family to protect understands the critical role life insurance plays in their financial plan However,  in determining the actual amount of coverage to provide essential protection needs, many people tend to adhere to simplistic rules-of-thumb, such as a “multiple of income,” which may leave them wondering if they own too much or too little coverage.

Many people dream of the day they can leave work behind and start pursuing their lifelong dreams. But for most people, you’ll need to achieve financial stability and independence before you can leave behind your day-to-day job in exchange for a more fulfilling path. This is where the increasingly...