For Higher Investment Returns, Get Help!

For Higher Investment Returns, Get Help!

Aon Hewitt, the global benefits consulting firm, analyzed 14 defined contribution plans representing over 723,000 individual participants over the seven-year period from 2006 through 2012 to determine how participant behavior affected portfolio risk and returns.  Their finding: those who sought help with their investments did significantly better than those who managed their portfolios on their…
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Should You Retire To South Dakota?

Bankrate.com recently announced the ten best states for retirement.  The list, which includes such rugged spots as Colorado, Utah, North Dakota and Wyoming, was topped by, of all places, South Dakota.  My question: is South Dakota the retirement paradise to which we should all aspire? Before any South Dakotans that happen to be reading this…
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Are Index Funds Really Less Expensive?

When it comes to investing, there are many things we cannot control.  For example, we cannot control, let alone predict, investment returns.  On the other hand, there are things we can and should control, such as the costs of our investments.  The popularity of index-based mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has risen dramatically over…
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U.S. Middle Class Losing Ground

The New York Times recently reported that the American middle class, long the most affluent in the world, has experienced much lower income growth over the last 30 years as compared to citizens of other advanced countries, and has now given up much of its lead. The wealthiest Americans, on the other hand, have been…
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Retirement Planning Is a Family Affair

It’s pretty common among married couples for one spouse to take the lead as the family money manager. It’s usually the one with the most interest and/or time to spend dealing with taxes, investments, and household budgeting. Over the last several years I’ve been encountering more and more families where each spouse manages his and…
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IRA Rollover Loophole Soon To Be Plugged

The IRS wants to make it easy for you to set up and maintain IRA accounts.  Part of that strategy involves keeping your IRA accounts at whichever qualified custodian you prefer.  Should you become unhappy with the costs or services provided by one custodian, the IRS allows you to move some or all of the…
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