Your portfolio might not be as diversified as you think
Dear Pete, Can you settle a debate I’ve been having with my co-worker the last five years? He claims my 401(k) should be more diversified than the S&P 500, while I believe the S&P 500 is...
View Article10 questions every couple should ask before retiring
I often write about the financial conversations couples should have before they decide to spend their lives together. To me, getting to know each other financially is an important part of any...
View ArticleCoronavirus-fueled volatility your friend, not enemy
Our primal “fight or flight” instinct was vital for cavemen to survive, but investors must resist their natural urge to panic when stocks hit an inevitable rough patch. Whether caused by fears related...
View ArticleYou trust your partner with your love. What about your money?
I recently heard an interesting story about a man who expressed his love for his wife in an unusual way. It wasn’t with an extravagant gift or a surprise trip to a tropical island. No, he wrote her a...
View ArticleFool Me Once, Shame on You. Fool Me Twice …
Q A couple of years ago, I was employed as the marketing director for a small, family-owned business. For several years in a row, this company saw huge increases in annual sales as a result of my...
View ArticleFinancial literacy: A powerful tool for social justice
Today I’m departing from my usual format to share with you my greatest wish for the new year and the next decade: that as a nation, we will come together to unleash the tremendous power of financial...
View ArticleThink twice about offering to pay for college
Dear Pete: My 42-year-old son and 41-year-old daughter-in-law aren’t great with money. Frankly, I assume it’s because she is the more dominant personality, and her parents don’t appear to have much...
View ArticleShould you be a guinea pig for a new franchise?
Q I was downsized from a corporate job about a year ago. I have never run my own business before, but I am realizing now there is no future for me in corporate America (I am over 50 years of age), so...
View ArticleAccumulation is easy, but distribution is hard
I participate in a small strategy group that has monthly conference calls. This month’s focus was managing income distributions during a prolonged market downturn. The accumulation phase of retirement...
View ArticleConsider these strategies to help reduce the cost of health insurance
Q I just looked at my health insurance bill, and the monthly premiums are almost as much as my car payment! I’m 23 and in good health. The one time I did need to see the doctor, I still got stuck with...
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