A recent survey conducted by GK Roper revealed that nearly 55% of respondents reported hiding some aspect of their finances from their spouse or significant other. Few would argue that financial infidelity is as devastating as a marital infidelity, but most would agree that deceit is deceit, which leads to an evaporation of trust no matter where it comes from.
Most people are familiar with the basic concepts of life insurance and understand that some level of protection is a necessary part of modern financial life. The question of what life insurance can actually accomplish, when considered as part of an overall financial plan, is more involved and worth a closer look.
What to do when Your Adult Child Comes Looking for a Loan It’s an unfortunate sign of the times that an increasing number of adult children, caught in the convergence of a sluggish economy, a slow job market, and tight lending, are turning to the Bank of Mom and Dad for financial help.
In practice, the question often arises as to why a single woman should own life insurance. Before answering it, it might be instructive to consider some demographics, especially as they have been trending in recent years:
Thinking about where to invest your money can be overwhelming and confusing, especially for those who are unfamiliar with all options for investing. If you’d like to take advantage of the ease of stock trading with the diversification of mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can give you the best of both worlds. Here are some key things to know about ETFs before investing. ETF Basics Exchange-traded funds are baskets of securities—stocks, bonds, commodities or a...
The decision to buy life insurance is one of the most critical decisions we make, which is why the decision as to which type of life insurance policy to buy can be just as critical. You can’t really try on a life insurance policy, so the one you choose needs to fit you like a glove from the outset.
John Ponto |
Critics of whole life insurance point to the higher premiums these plans require and the inflexibility of the payment schedule; however, when the structure and features of whole life insurance are fully understood, a fair-minded person would see that it offers affordability and flexibility along with unmatched long-term security. When whole life premiums are clearly explained, it becomes
When you have excess cash flow and assets to invest, you can choose from a vast number of different types of investments, which can be a daunting task due to the number of options and, in many cases, their complexity. In addition to understanding how different investments work, it is essential for investors to know if they are suitable for their particular needs and risk tolerance.
If given the choice, most people would choose financial freedom over financial servitude. Who doesn’t want to be financially independent, having your money work for you, as opposed to you working for your money?
Many people dream of the day they can leave work behind and start pursuing their lifelong dreams. But for most people, you’ll need to achieve financial stability and independence before you can leave behind your day-to-day job in exchange for a more fulfilling path. This is where the increasingly-popular financial independence, retire early (FIRE) movement comes in. The basis of the FIRE movement is quite simple: Save and aggressively invest a large percentage of your...
John Ponto |
As investment options continue to expand and competition for investment dollars increase, the mutual fund industry is coming under increasing scrutiny for the expenses charged in many mutual funds.
Many investors, especially those still reeling from the 2008 – 2011 stock market roller coaster ride, have developed a low tolerance for volatility. As a result they have moved a significant portion of their investments into bonds or other fixed yield vehicles.