“New Year, new budget” or “New Year, no budget” Which are you?Yes, it’s well past the new year (Happy Spring Equinox), but with so many people losing jobs, getting work hours cut, or having their financial life in a turmoil, maybe now is the time to revisit the “B” word. Actually, I much prefer the…
Day: March 20, 2020
Traditonal Medicare or Medicare Advantage? Resources to help decide
When signing up for Medicare you need to decide between traditional Medicare (and a supplemental plan) and Medicare Advantage Plan (offered by private insurers) that often come with prescription drug benefits (90%).Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) can pay most of the 20% costs Original Medicare doesn’t cover, plus some other costs. Many people with Original Medicare…
Retiring in a Bear Market?
No one knows when the coronavirus will subside… when financial markets will level off… when gut-wrenching volatility will settle down.What can you do as you prepare to retire?Focus on things you can control!Thanks to Wall Street Journal writer Glenn Ruffenach for this advice written in December 2018:Firm up your spending plan (aka budget).Reduce your debt.…
Stock Market Volatility
The wild swings in the financial markets are enough to scare any investor. With huge drops followed by big gains and then further drops… what is an investor to do?First let’s review what’s happening. It is NOT individual investors making buy/sell decisions that drive financial markets. It’s the computerized models of the major investment houses…
Want to develop some good habits? Break bad habits?
“Welcome to My Habit Lab. Designed by scientists at the University of Southern California. We draw on the latest psychological research to help you break bad habits and start good ones.” Psychologist Wendy Wood, Ph.D. wrote the book: Good habits, bad habits: the science of making positive changes that stick Check out this website: http://goodhabitsbadhabits.org/…
How does your financial adviser get paid? And why does it matter?
“With markets in turmoil, investors need financial advice more than ever. Unfortunately, figuring out where to get it and how to pay for it just got a little harder” according to Jason Zweig writing for The Wall Street Journal. Until recently you could find this information about Certified Financial Planners from Letsmakeaplan.org. But the CFP…
Planning to refinance your mortgage?
A rush to refinance mortgages in light of the super low mortgage rates is facing a logjam of applications. According to Katy Mclaughlin writing for The Wall Street Journal, you need to take these steps: 1. Unfreeze your credit. Many people froze their credit to protect against fraud. Now is the time to thaw your…
Lost income due to Coronavirus shut down?
If your income has fallen or been cut off completely, we’re here to help. This guide will connect you to the basic information you’ll need to get through this, including on government benefits, free services and financial strategies. https://www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-money-unemployment.html Your Money: A Hub for Help During the Coronavirus Crisis By Ron Lieber and Tara Siegel…