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Mastering Money 6/20/18
Is it possible to average an 8.43% return on your investments in retirement, withdrawing only 5% per year, and still run out of money in 20 to 22 years? It’s not only possible, but it happens more often than you think. In fact, a study by prominent CPA firm Ernst and Young reveals that due to low interest rates and high markets, today’s affluent retirees are more at risk than ever of running out of money.It’s true –even starting with a million dollars or two million dollars! The key culprit other than low bond rates is known as Sequence Risk. Today, we’ll show you how it can easily happen in your own portfolio, and Steve will show you precisely how to avoid it. MASTERING MONEY is on the air!
Mastering Money 3/17/23
There are approximately 17,500 companies in the United States, employiing over 80 million people. About 6,000 of those companies trade on the various U.S. stock exchanges. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, known simply as the S&P 500, is a market-capitalization-weighted index of 505 of the largest, large-cap U.S. stocks. Why 505 not, 500 stocks? We’ll explore that question and more as we shed light on an index that went down nearly 20% in 2022, and which ten stocks did the most damage. Then health insurance and medicare expert Shelley Grandidge joins us. An info-packed show you don’t want to miss, MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!
Mastering Money 9/20/16
What’s the difference between a new generation, a hybrid, and a NextGen annuity? And how do you make sure the insurance company gives full value to your beneficiaries when you die? And where can you find a 20% bonus? Steve and Sinclair have the details and preview highlights of the upcoming IQ Wealth Financial & Estate Planning Workshop.
Mastering Money 10/6/16
Forget nuclear bombs! Hackers from Russia and North Korea appear to be going after the email accounts of high profile celebrities, corporations, and those who work at major corporations. Meanwhile, the Twitter accounts of everyone from Mark Zuckerberg to deceased Beatle George Harrison got hacked this summer–and it could happen to anyone who has had a Linked-in or MySpace account plus 76 cents– according to experts. Steve and Sinclair have the Wall Street Journal report. Then Reverse Mortgage Specialist Wendy Hartzler with First Bank is here to discuss reverse mortgages.
Mastering Money 10/10/16
Estate planning attorney and MBA Richard Dwornik discusses the most common mistakes easily made with powers of attorney and reviews topics he will discuss at the upcoming IQ Wealth Financial And Estate Planning Workshop October 13.
Mastering Money 12/29/15
The year is ending, and so is the opportunity to make final tax moves for 2015. Before you do, beware of subtleties in the tax rules that bring both opportunities and pitfalls, says Laura Saunders writing for the Wall Street Journal.
Today we do a round-up of late year tax moves in both segments 2 and 3. In segment 2, Steve and Sinclair review 6 tax moves that can have a significant impact on your 2015 taxes according to two tax attorneys , and the “gottcha’s” that could nullify the deduction.
CPA Nick Stefaniak joins the A Team to tie a bow on last minute tax planning, depreciation, and the perils of the Alternative Minimum Tax.
Mastering Money 01/06/16
Hedged mutual funds built around managed futures have been appearing in many investors retirement accounts in recent years, but are they panning out?
Fees can be extremely high and many of the funds have lost 20% to 30% with only a few winners.
The Wall Street Journal reports that these funds are suddenly closing down at a rapid pace. You may want to check your portfolio to see if you own some of these pricey dogs.
Managed futures accounts, smart beta, and hedge fund clones had a rough time of it in 2015.More “liquid alternative” mutual funds closed in 2015 than in any year on record according to Morningstar Inc. Inflows dwindled and performance weakened.
The results show that enthusiasm is fading for what had emerged in recent years as one of the hottest products in asset management—funds that combine hedge-fund strategies like shorting stock with the daily liquidity of mutual funds.
In all, 31 liquid-alternative funds shut their doors in 2015. Steve and Sinclair dig into the subject with some key statistics.
In the Q & A, CFP® and Certified Investment Management Specialist® Murray Titterington with IQ Wealth joins the A-Team to report on the alarming trend of overleveraging by U.S. companies. Many are borrowing money to pay their dividends. Can it end well? Hear the facts. Steve gives some important advice to conservative and moderate retirement investors in segments 3 and 4.
Mastering Money 1/19/16
Study after study shows that missing the best days of the market can cost you.
Why? It turns out that almost all big stock market gains and drops are concentrated in just a few trading days each year.
When the five best-performing days in that time period were missed, the annualized return shrank to 7.00%, with $10,000 growing to $38,710, and if an investor missed the 20 days with the largest gains, the returns were cut down to just 3.02%. If the 40 best-performing days were missed, an investment in the S&P 500 turned negative, with $10,000 eroding in value to just $8,149, a loss of $1,851.
Market timers believe they will miss the worst-performing days by going to cash. They of course end up missing the best days also. Steve and Sinclair review two important statistical studies on missing the 10, 20, and 30 best days and comparing to the missing the 10, 20, and 30 worst days with input from Morningstar.
Mastering Money 5/23/16
Not long ago, the Canadian dollar was killing the U.S. dollar and our friends from the North were buying up Arizona real estate. We look at a Wall Street Journal report on how the tables have turned. The economy of Calgary, especially, has been hit by the oil bust, and the dollar is now killing the Looney (Canadian dollar.) Alert U.S. investors are finding bargains in untouchable areas like Banff National Park. Then, we review what experts are calling an “earnings recession” among key big cap corporations. Rather than being helped, they are being HURT by the strong dollar overseas.
Mastering Money 9/2/16
The break up of Met Life was a surprise to many investors and annuity holders. The Wall Street Journal has some background in a special report and some comparisons to AIG. Steve reviews 3 important points for consumers comparing annuities with a key mistake to avoid.
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Keeping Your Retirement Goals Front and Center
As we begin the planning process, your retirement goals remain our top priority. Clearly defining the kind of retirement you envision allows us to strategically align each asset with a specific purpose and timeline—ensuring your money works for you, when you need it.
At this stage, most of our clients have important questions, such as:
- Social Security: When is the best time to start collecting?
- Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs): How will they impact your taxes and income?
- Current Portfolio Review: What’s working, what’s not, and what adjustments make sense?
- Retirement Security: How protected are you from market volatility?
- Mutual Fund Concerns: Are they too risky for your retirement goals?
- Risk Reduction & Income Growth: How can you create more stability?
- Tax Strategies: How can you minimize your tax burden in retirement?
- IRA Rollovers & Roth Conversions: Are they the right move for you?
- Investments & Annuities: What role should they play in your financial plan?
- “Are annuities really safe?” (Hint: It depends on the type of annuity and how it’s structured.)
If you have additional questions, we’re here to answer them all—ensuring you feel confident and in control of your retirement future.
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We evaluate your current situation and identify key action points — starting to develop your strategy.
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Once we arrive at the retirement strategy that is best suited for you, we go to work to make it reality
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