You’ve probably heard of annuities. Depending on your retirement plan options, you might actually have an annuity. But if you’re like most people, you recognize the term, but you don’t really understand how they work. As with anything related to money, knowledge is power. Understanding the different types of annuities, how they work, and who …
What The Heck Is An Annuity? Everything You Need to Know Read More »
Teachers are amazing at so many things. We facilitate curriculum, lead meetings, administer tests, communicate with families, and challenge students to be the best version of themselves. We counsel, mediate, inspire, even entertain. But for everything that we’re fantastic at, there’s one thing teachers don’t always excel at – money. Sure, we spend tons of …
A Teacher’s Guide to 403(b)s: What You Need to Know Read More »
What if you could save aggressively for retirement while you’re young, then simply stop and let the power of compound growth do its thing while you pursued careers and businesses you loved? That’s what reaching coast level retirement savings is all about. When I chose to leave investing to grow the blog, financial independence took …
Saving for retirement when you’re traditionally employed is pretty straightforward. But when you run your own business? Things get more complicated. Luckily, you have options. And my friend Justin Pritchard, a CFP® (Certified Financial Planner), has stopped by to help us break them down. When you work for a large company, a Human Resources department takes …
How To Save For Retirement When You’re Self-Employed Read More »
When was the last time you really looked at your 401(k)? No, I don’t mean checking the balance. I mean checking your fund options, reviewing your asset allocation, and checking whether you were on track to retire. My first job out of college I picked a low-cost (thank goodness) Target Date Retirement Fund, set my …
Savings alone usually isn’t enough to help you reach your financial goals. Retirement, paying for college, buying a house. You’ll get there faster and have more success if you invest. But getting started can feel impossible when you don’t have a lot of money. For example, Vanguard is my favorite investment manager and the top …
Recently I wrote about the three-fund portfolio. A simple, well-diversified investment strategy that is easy to manage and can be achieved with low-cost funds. However, for such a simple investment strategy, people have a lot of questions about the three-fund portfolio! And this is good! You should never use an investment strategy you don’t understand. …
Frequently Asked Questions About The Three-Fund Portfolio Read More »
Social Security is an important government program that acts as a retirement safety net for many Americans today. 70% of current American workers believe Social Security will be a major income source in retirement, while 25% believe it will be their primary source of income. A hefty amount of faith in a government insurance system. …
When people picture investing, they picture a red-faced Gordon Gekko screaming trades over the phone or a chaotic stock market floor where you could just as easily lose your life savings as watch it grow it each and every day. But please, please, let’s change the picture. Investing doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, …
The Three-Fund Investment Portfolio: The Beauty of Simplicity Read More »
Why does the average investor see significantly lower returns than the investment funds they use? Why can’t we stop ourselves from buying high and selling low? Basically, why can’t we get out of our own way and reach our financial goals? This gap in results is precisely what Carl Richards tackles in his easy-to-read book, The …
