These articles cover selected financial planning topics in a little more depth. You can read them online, or download them as PDFs.
The Gift of Compound Interest
If young people understand the power of compound interest, they have a great incentive for starting to save money at an early age. (Albert Einstein called compound interest the eighth wonder of the world.) It’s not a hard concept. Once a person grasps the implications, huge financial opportunities await. The sooner one learns about compound interest, the larger financial difference it can make. Read more…
The 4% Rule for Retirees
When you retire, there is ONE thing you want to avoid – outliving your money. With a great percentage of our population in or approaching retirement, how to avoid the catastrophe of going broke in retirement is a frequent question. Read more…
Savings? Is it Guaranteed?
Teenagers need to learn, when they are young, that saving for the future is important. If they learn the concept early enough, they can make use of the magical ability of compounding, that snowball effect where a pile of money grows at a faster clip as more interest (and investment growth) grows on top of more interest and growth. Read more…
The Glitter of Gold
One of the “frequently asked questions” (FAQs) that occurs during financial discussions is, “Should I be investing in gold?” This question is not one of the most important questions when it comes to building a secure financial future. But the fact that the question is asked so often means it is of much interest to people and should be addressed. Read more…
Why Invest in Bonds?
One of the major concepts of financial education is the importance of having bonds as a part of a personal financial portfolio. Most people think that investing means buying stocks, but there are also many good reasons to include bonds as a significant portion of every savings nest egg. Especially as individuals approach retirement, a sizable portion of bonds should be included to fund those golden years. Read more…
Are Americans Saving Enough?
Only fifty years ago, thrifty Americans were saving more than 10% of their income according to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. It was a way of life: you spent what you needed and saved the rest. Even before the advent of tax-advantaged saving in 401ks and IRAs, the prior generations socked away money for emergencies and retirement. Read more…
