DFA Funds: Lower Costs & New ETFs
A majority of True Wealth clients own investments from Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) – a science-based money manager with more than $600 billion in assets under management as of March 2021. We wanted to give a brief update on some … Continue reading
Investment Return Expectations
Having reasonable assumptions for investment returns is critically important for many reasons. These assumptions will impact the success of your retirement plan, investment allocation decisions, and your peace of mind to name a few. Why peace of mind? Well, if … Continue reading
Ep 74: Modeling Real Estate & Business Values In Your Retirement Plan
One of the beginning steps in every retirement plan is to value your assets and project their values into the future. Valuing assets like stocks and bonds is easy (though making accurate projections becomes more difficult.) Complexity increases even more when you consider illiquid assets like real estate and business ventures. Continue reading
Ep 73: What Age Should You Get Serious About Planning For Retirement?
Hear Kevin describe a conversation he recently had with a podcast listener aged 57. He’s planning on working for several more years and was wondering if now is too soon to get serious about planning for retirement.
Kevin discussed the qualitative and quantitative benefits clients often get from the Retire Smarter Solution as well as some time-sensitive issues you need to address well before you retire. Continue reading
When Should You Start Seriously Planning For Retirement?
Over the years in my practice as a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional, I had clients in their 30s when it made sense to hire me. I’ve had others in their 50s where I told them to come back in a few years or when a specific event occurred. Alas, mom was correct. We are special, unique snowflakes.
Nevertheless, these principles apply… Continue reading
Ep 72: How Your Retirement Spending Is Likely To Change With Age
In the last episode, Kevin answered a listener question on inflation. He explained why retiree spending patterns in part combat inflationary risk retirees face.
Now hear Kevin delve deeper into retiree spending patterns. Traditional retirement advice of having a steadily increasing income for life is wrong for most. If you don’t want to work longer than you have to or want to spend more in retirement, this is an episode you’ll want to listen to. Continue reading
Ep 71: Inflation Expectations & Implications On Your Investments & Retirement
Your money today will buy less next year. This decline is due to inflation, which is often believed to be the silent killer for a retirement income portfolio over time.
Hear Kevin answer a listener question on inflation and whether the high levels of government spending and rising deficits are likely to lead to high inflation. And, if so, what changes should be made to your planning and investing strategy? Continue reading
Why Small, Cheap Stocks Still Make Sense
When Nobel winner Eugene Fama studied the long-term performance of U.S. equities in the early 1990s, he found that stock returns had decreased with size and cost. The smallest, cheapest companies had provided higher investment returns than the biggest, costliest firms.
Though initially counter-intuitive to many – why wouldn’t you want to invest in the biggest and best companies? – it made sense. Large-growth stocks were safer economic choices, operating reliable businesses well-positioned to survive recessions. Thus, they were handsomely valued, at prices that limited their potential for future increases. Continue reading
Ep 70: Free Money? More Stimulus Checks & Larger Healthcare Tax Credits
The government’s money-printing machine is ripping. Here comes round 3 of stimulus checks and larger healthcare tax credits for many pre-Medicare retirees.
Hear Kevin discuss the 3 rounds of checks, income phaseout ranges, and planning strategies to get yours. In some cases, you may want to file your 2020 tax return sooner and in others, you may want to wait. For many retirees, you may want to modifying your tax-smart distribution plan midyear, lowering our taxable income targets and reducing Roth conversions, to reap benefits. Continue reading
Ep 69: Interview Questions To Ask A Financial Advisor
It’s not easy to hire a professional service provider. Even the most astute consumer only scratches the surface of truly understanding a profession they are not part of. The information gap is huge. So how do you ensure you find a competent and trustworthy advisor?
Hear Kevin nine questions to ask your advisor. He will unpack some of the industry gobbledygook, share disclosures from brand-name Wall Street firms that will surprise you, and help you become a more informed financial-advice consumer. Continue reading
