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
Understanding Your Social Security Statement
When you get serious about crafting a solid retirement plan, you need to understand how to read your Social Security statement. If you have yet to claim your retirement benefit, get your most recent statement online at www.ssa.gov/myaccount and continue reading. Continue reading
Ep 68: My Journey As A Financial Planner
Fish mislabeling was once rampant in the US. Thought you were getting Red Snapper? Surprise! You get porgy or tile fish. Deceptive marketing for profits at best and exposing consumers to serious health risks at worst,
Sadly, many ‘financial advisors’ are similarly mislabeled and may cause financial harm. Listen to Kevin Kroskey, CFP® and Tyler Emrick, CFP® share a behind-the-scenes conversation on the training (or lack thereof) they received when entering in the profession. Hear what they didn’t know then and what they do know now, as it’ll help you become a more informed consumer. Continue reading
Ep 67: Beyond Diversification: Terminal Wealth Dispersion
Putting the odds of investing and retirement success in your favor should be a given as is being diversified. But what does diversification really mean? Ten stocks? One hundred stocks? Two asset classes or ten?
Diversification is not just minimizing variability or owning the S&P 500. It’s also reducing the risk of underperformance by owning the stocks and assets classes that will deliver higher returns and reducing the variability in dollar outcomes from your portfolio. Continue reading
Top-Dog Investments & The Winner’s Curse
When you are shopping for a new car, you compare price and attempt to get the best value for your dollar. Same too for real estate purchases or about anything else you can think of. Well, except investments. Continue reading
Ep 66: Think in Terms of Range, Not Averages
If your head is in the freezer and your feet in the oven, on average you may feel quite comfortable despite suffering from two extremes. Averages are commonly used to discuss investment returns, but they are an oversimplification … especially when it comes to investment expectations. Continue reading
Ep 65: When To Sell An Underperforming Investment
Inevitably you will have some investments perform better than others in your portfolio. A normal, human response is to seek pleasure and avoid pain or sell the underperformer and buy what has done well. But does that make investing sense? Continue reading
