How many years will your retirement last? What are the chances you’ll live past 90? Most of us answer those questions wrong because we don’t have strong longevity literacy. 1 That means that about 81% of us 1 aren’t working with a viable understanding of our own life expectancy. Let’s explore how understanding longevity could create a positive impact in your retirement planning. What is longevity literacy? Longevity literacy refers to your knowledge about expected...
A power of attorney (POA) can grant you certain authority and specific responsibilities. While the extent and limitations of POAs can vary based on many factors, stepping into the role of power of attorney can be unlike anything else. That’s because it puts you in the driver’s seat to make key decisions and oversee vital needs for someone else. That doesn’t mean that POAs come with carte-blanche powers or that one power of attorney will mirror another. Explaining how POAs work, this guide shares more fundamentals, detailing some common types of powers of attorney and the responsibilities you may have as an agent of one of these devices.
A comfortable retirement doesn’t come with a fixed price tag. Expenses can change over time, and some of the most important ones are easy to overlook. That’s one reason about 45% of retirees could run out of money in retirement. 1 The good news? That outcome isn’t inevitable. The key is recognizing which costs get overlooked and building flexibility into your plan. Let’s explore five common blind spots and what you can do to prepare...
First, let’s start by uncovering the most common mistake in estate planning… Surprisingly, this frequently made mistake might already be on your doorstep. A staggering number of people haven’t yet started an estate plan. It’s a critical oversight that can have far-reaching implications, but this isn’t the only pitfall that can disrupt your planning efforts. Here’s a breakdown of 4 estate planning missteps and how to fix them: Mistake #1: Neglecting to Update Your Estate...
The Dow crosses 45,000. Your brain whispers: "This has to be the top." The market drops 15%. Your brain screams: "Get out before it gets worse!" Different scenarios. Same result: your brain hijacking your long-term investment strategy. If you've ever felt paralyzed by market highs or panicked during market lows, you're not an outlier. You're human. The brain’s wiring is great for responding to immediate danger, like avoiding a snake. But that same instinct can...
How much do you really know about retirement benefits? If you’re like most Americans, it’s not that much. In fact, most of us have fairly poor “retirement literacy,” especially when it comes to the finer points of retirement benefits. 1 That may not seem like a big deal, but it can give rise to all sorts of landmines in the future, possibly derailing your retirement plans and goals. It could also impact your quality of...
As a long-term investor, you’re always thinking about what factors drive your investment returns. Unfortunately, many investors focus on things that cause short-term changes and actually have no impact on long-term market returns. It’s not their fault – these myths are so commonly believed that many so-called “savvy investors” would preach to you of their importance. To help you make informed investment decisions, let’s look at three investment factors that, contrary to popular belief, don’t...