Category Archives: THINK

LOW NUMBERS = OPPORTUNITY? 3.87%  30-YR FIXED MORTGAGE 3.13%  15-YR FIXED MORTGAGE According to recent data from Freddie Mac, the federally-sponsored mortgage lending corporation, the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage dropped to a record-low 3.87% in February 2012. Rates for … Continue reading →

TAKING TURBULENCE OUT OF THE LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE ISSUE When Prudential Financial announced on March 7, 2012 that the company would stop taking applications for individual long-term care insurance on March 30, the news meant that 10 of the top … Continue reading →

RETIREMENT INCOME DISTRIBUTION METHODS: When it absolutely, positively has to last your entire lifetime “Will your retirement income last as long as you do?” – 2011 TIAA-CREF bulletin “Retirement: Make your savings last as long as you do” – USA … Continue reading →

“Judge no one happy until his life is over.” – Ancient Roman proverb Tax Deferral and the Sword of Damocles At first glance, especially from a distance, some arrangements may seem quite attractive. But when a fuller understanding is acquired, … Continue reading →

ESTATE PLANNING #101: PREPARING A WILL A will is written statement made by an individual that directs the distribution of his/her property at death. A legal will is a fundamental financial document that is relevant for almost every adult, and … Continue reading →

A PROPOSED TAX CHANGE TO INHERITED IRAs IS DROPPED, BUT IS IT A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME? One of the unknowns that lurks in the shadows of many qualified retirement plans (such as IRAs, TSAs, and 401(k)s) is future … Continue reading →

LIFE IS GETTING BETTER: The disappearance of traditional “death markers” in life insurance underwriting. One of the critical factors in obtaining life insurance is the health of the proposed insured. One’s current physical condition and past health history play a … Continue reading →

ANTICIPATING ABUNDANCE IN A CHANGING WORLD “The best way to predict the future is to create it yourself.” from Abundance, by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler Maybe it’s the current political climate, including the national election process, which seems to … Continue reading →

PREPARING FOR YOUR “BASE INCOME YEAR” For parents who anticipate their child/children will attend college, part of the process will usually include compiling personal financial documentation to apply for grants, loans and scholarships. While much merit-based financial assistance exists to … Continue reading →

GURUS, NEWSLETTERS & “FINANCIAL ENLIGHTENMENT” Because everyone uses money, we all think we know something about it, and it’s easy to have an opinion. We can tell our friends why it was smart to buy this house, how we figured … Continue reading →