In the final quarter of 2018, interest rate and growth fears, along with geopolitical events, sparked volatility in the financial markets and reversed many of the outsize stock gains notched earlier in the year. The S&P 500 posted a loss of about 6.2% for 2018. After falling into bear market territory, defined as a drop of more than 20% from recent highs, the tech-heavy NASDAQ was down 3.9% for the year overall.1-2 Continue reading
Category Archives: Investments
How Required Minimum Distributions May Effect Your Retirement Planning
Required minimum distributions, often referred to as RMDs or minimum required distributions, are amounts that the federal government requires you to withdraw annually from traditional IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans after you reach age 70½ (or, in some cases, after you retire). Continue reading
When to use a 401(k) In-Plan Roth Conversion
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. Continue reading
Why Employers are Switching to Cash Balance Retirement Plans
A cash balance plan is a qualified employer-sponsored retirement plan that has become
increasingly common in recent years as an alternative to (or replacement of) the traditional defined benefit pension plan. Though it is technically a form of defined benefit plan, the cash balance plan is often referred to as a “hybrid” of a traditional defined benefit pension plan and a defined contribution plan. Continue reading
Building Retirement Income with Real Estate Investments
A real estate investment can be a fairly common transaction, such as the purchase of a primary residence, or it can be a complex commercial venture involving multiple investors and/or syndicates. When choosing a real estate investment, think carefully about your objectives for that investment.
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My company has a profit-sharing plan. How do these plans work?
A profit-sharing plan is a defined contribution plan in which your employer has discretion to determine when and how much the company pays into the plan. The amount allocated to each individual account is usually based on the salary level of the participant (employee).
How to Respond to a Market Correction
After reaching all-time highs on January 26, 2018, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 went into a two-week slide that saw both stock indexes drop by more than 10%, a decline that is typically considered a market correction.1 Continue reading
How to Choose the Right Retirement Plan
If your employer-sponsored 401(k) or 403(b) plan offers pre-tax, Roth, and/or non-Roth after-tax contributions, which should you choose? How do you know which one might be appropriate for your needs? Start by understanding the features of each. Continue reading
Understanding Your Financial Risks
Few terms in personal finance are as important, or used as frequently, as “risk.” Nevertheless, few terms are as imprecisely defined. Generally, when financial advisors or the media talk about investment risk, their focus is on the historical price volatility of the asset or investment under discussion. Continue reading
Who Is Watching Your 401(k)?
It is popularly accepted that 401(k) plans are and will continue to be the most important savings vehicle for most Americans. However, they may also be the most neglected and misunderstood investment that people hold. Continue reading
