Two farmers, John and Paul, were sitting at John’s kitchen table one cold winter day. John has been a farmer for a long time and Paul is new. Paul says, “Our is mostly a dairy farm and we’re thinking about planting more than just corn and hay to feed the cows. How do you mix … Read more
Because the stock market has been on an upward trend in the second half of 2020 and the first month of 2021, it’s time to check your asset allocation. We’ve noticed the stock portion of many client portfolios are now 5% or more over their target asset allocation and therein lies risk. That is, if … Read more
This is a question we receive frequently from clients who are about to retire. There are pros and cons to paying off your mortgage before you retire. First, the plus side. Reduces the cost of housing and increases your positive cash flow. Guaranteed risk-free rate of return. Psychologically, it’s satisfying. The negatives: Reduced liquidity. You … Read more
I’m happy to see 2020 in the rear-view mirror. How about you? Let’s call it like it is: 2020 was a disaster from a human suffering and death perspective. And on top of that, there was a contentious, divisive national election, an economic swoon that has not ended yet and civil un-rest over long-simmering racial … Read more
The biggest worries for people BEFORE they retire are financial. AFTER someone retires, the biggest worries are health related. These findings are consistently reported in polls and surveys done by Gallup, AARP, Wells Fargo, and others. The reason for this difference is common sense. Before someone retires, they worry about having enough money to live … Read more
Dr. Wade Pfau, a well-known retirement researcher, invented this simple outline for those thinking about retirement. He states retirement income planning needs to address these four factors: Longevity — a 65-year old married couple has a 50% probability of at least one partner living beyond age 91 Lifestyle — how you want to live your … Read more
We help clients move from the work phase of their life to the retirement phase daily. And while just about everyone worries about “Will I have enough money?” the most important part of the transition takes place in their heads. A retirement mindset is the start of the retirement process and the key to successfully … Read more
A client told me this the other day and I’ve been pondering ever since. I think he’s right, although I suspect that many people who are considering retirement think just the opposite. That is, many pre-retirees think retirement is like endless vacation. Well, it’s not. Vacation is typically a time with no worries and little change. … Read more
The Library of Congress says this is the most watched movie of all time. It was produced in 1939 (the same year “Gone With the Wind” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” were produced). I was recently re-watching Oz with my wife and it occurred to me that Dorothy’s adventures in Oz present some excellent … Read more
There are fewer hot topics in retirement planning than how much you should expect to spend once you retire. On the one hand, you won’t be spending for work-related activities so maybe you will spend less. On the other hand, health care costs will likely rise until you are eligible for Medicare. You may think … Read more