Catherine Brock, Contributor Aug. 15, 2022 Do you need a financial advisor? The answer depends on different factors — the complexity of your finances, how comfortable you are managing investments, where you are in your wealth journey, and where you’d like to be. The advisor’s mission is to close the gap between where you are…
Should I choose a single life annuity for my pension or a joint and survivor annuity that makes payments to my spouse when I die?
By ANDREW SCHWARTZ | Reviewed by MARGARET JAMES | Fact checked by SUZANNE KVILHAUGDec. 30, 2022 It is important for everyone to reset their personal finances and their goals for the New Year. Did you make any resolutions concerning your personal finances last January? If so, how did you do? Did you attain your goals or…
Wealth Management Team, Portland, OR Winter 2022 Scott and Linden have spent the last few months galivanting around the Sea of Cortez on the sailboat. Fred and Amy took a nice road trip to see their daughter, son-in-law and dog (Toast), and visit their newly constructed home. They also got the opportunity to help them…
By Tom Standage: Editor, The World Ahead 2023 Nov. 15, 2022 After two years in which the pandemic was the force shaping the immediate future, the main driver now is the war in Ukraine. In the coming months the world will have to grapple with unpredictability around the conflict’s impact on geopolitics and security; the…
Bill Stone, Contributor Nov. 21, 2022 Thanksgiving seems an appropriate time to consider the “Turkey problem” as it relates to risk management. Nassim Taleb introduced the world to the “Black Swan” concept and used this example to illustrate the issue. Imagine the life of a turkey where a kind farmer feeds and tends to it…
A 401(k) in-plan Roth conversion (also called an “in-plan Roth rollover”) allows you to transfer the non-Roth portion of your 401(k) account into a designated Roth account within the same plan. The amount you convert is subject to federal income tax in the year of the conversion (except for any nontaxable basis you have in…
Taxes can take a big bite out of your total investment returns, so it’s helpful to look for tax-advantaged strategies when building a portfolio. But keep in mind that investment decisions shouldn’t be driven solely by tax considerations; other factors to consider include the potential risk, the expected rate of return, and the quality of the investment.
The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee continued its aggressive tightening pace in the June meeting, by raising the key fed funds interest rate today by 0.75%—to a new range of 1.50-1.75%.
During your working years, you’ve probably set aside funds in retirement accounts such as IRAs, 401(k)s, or other workplace savings plans, as well as in taxable accounts. Your challenge during retirement is to convert those savings into an ongoing income stream…