By Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
We usually understand the time value of money in two contexts: the growth rate of an investment, and the inflation rate. Nonetheless, the TVM is a topic that should be understood by everyone serious about financial planning.
Sketch Out a Timeline
To...
By Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
In this blog post I want to go just a little bit beyond the basics of traditional IRAs and how they work.
What are Traditional IRAs?
An IRA is an individual retirement account by definition, with the emphasis on individual. One IRA means one owner, so...
By Jonathan G. Cameron, CFP®
Most people are familiar with the 401k, but what’s a 403b? Basically a 403b is a retirement plan that is sponsored by a 501c3 organization, meaning a not-for-profit employer. A local school board or hospital are good examples. The employee invests in mutual...
By Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
I’ve been pondering this.
This Page is Intentionally Left Blank
It sort of hit me one day after having noticed This Page is Intentionally Left Blank in clients’ brokerage account statements.
Seems to me that if there’s printing on the page, it...
By Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
This blog post is the second of a trilogy having to do with Social Security. The first is about Social Security Benefits; the third is, Will Social Security will be There When I Retire?
Oh yes. Many new Social Security retirees get a big...
by Jonathan G. Cameron, CFP®
The Thrift Savings Plan, or TSP, is the equivalent of the 401k for federal government employees. My intention here is to cover the main highlights of this fantastic retirement benefit. Much more detail is found on the TSP website.
As in a 401k, you contribute...
By Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
Increasingly as we work with people of retirement age, we’re hearing a new concern: What happens when my mother runs out of money? This is something relatively new. Those in their middle ages used to be called the sandwich generation, because they were in...
By Glenn J. Downing, CFP®
(Note to the reader: I originally posted this piece in mid-March of 2020. Now I'm reviewing it at the end of April 2020. Hit the nail on the head, didn't I?)
I’m sure you’ve heard the term before: asset bubble. Sounds...
by Jonathan G. Cameron, CFP®
We’ve all seen the financial headlines:
“Sell everything and buy gold!”
“Time to take profits off the table!”
“The market is poised for a big upswing – get in now!”
“Make 16% guaranteed with tax lien...
By Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
Charitable Giving
As a financial adviser, I am privileged to work with many wonderful people who give generously. These are people who want to leave a legacy. These are clients who want to leave money behind which will continue to accomplish the good works the...
By Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
FRS participants have a choice among two retirement plan options:
The investment option, which is a defined contribution plan (DC)
The pension option, which is a defined benefit plan (DB)
In previous posts, I covered both the FRS Pension Option and the DROP...
by Glenn J. Downing, MBA, CFP®
All the rules for Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) changed with the SECURE Act of 2019. In this piece I go through the changes.
Important Ages
There are two important ages in retirement financial planning: 59 1/2 and 72. The former marks...
