If I ever had any doubt that trying to outsmart the stock market was futile, a couple of statistics that I recently came across have confirmed my thinking.
One was an article in the Wall Street Journal that analyzed the performance of the most highly recommended stocks of ten years ago. AOL, Cisco Systems, Lucent, [...]
Posts under ‘Financial Basics’
Playing the Market
Women and Retirement: The Triple Whammy
When it comes to saving for retirement, women face a triple whammy. For starters, women, on average, live three years longer than men. In fact, most women can expect to be retired for 22 years, versus 19 years for men, according to this report from Hewitt Associates.
Once they’re retired, women tend to face higher [...]
Financial Decisions After 50: Is It All Downhill?
I recently came across a study that was, frankly, rather depressing for anyone over the age of about 20. According to the researchers behind the study, “The Age of Reason: Financial Decisions over the Life-Cycle with Implications for Regulation,” one’s financial decision making abilities peak at age 53. After that, your financial smarts take a [...]
Longevity and Money
I just calculated my life expectancy at www.livingto100.com, and found that I should live to 99. A few months ago, my doctor also told me I’ll likely live into my 90s. She based her assessment on my grandparents’ longevity, which I had indicated on the multi-page medical history form that most doctors have you fill [...]
Making Sure Your Bank Accounts Are Safe
As the number of failed banks climbs, here’s how to tell if your money is safe.
Something To Be Thankful For: Smarter Spenders
The recession, as painful as it is for those who’ve lost jobs and are struggling, may have a silver lining. That’s this: a fair number of consumers are consuming less and saving more, according to several holiday surveys completed over the past few months.
A sampling of results:
- Nearly four out of five (78.6 percent) of [...]
It’s that time of year….
Open enrollment time, that is. Sure, reviewing and signing up for an insurance plan might not be as much fun as watching your favorite football team in action or even raking the leaves. Even so, spending a bit of time now on this job can save money down the road and give you some confidence [...]
Value Averaging: What’s it All About?
If you’re like most investors, you’re probably familiar with the concept of dollar cost averaging: you invest the same amount at regular intervals, such as once a month. The theory behind it holds that by default, you end up buying fewer securities when prices are high, and more when they’re low. What’s more, it’s a [...]
Does Converting to a Roth IRA Make Sense?
If you’ve been hearing mumblings about the Roth IRA (Individual Retirement Account), but aren’t quite sure what the buzz is all about you’re not alone – nearly 90 percent of respondents to a recent survey by Fidelity Investments didn’t know about the upcoming opportunity to convert their current IRAs to Roth IRAs.
A Roth IRA differs [...]
New Rules on Giftcards Next Year
I just checked my stash of gift cards, and found five that have expired. That’s $180 down the drain. Another one didn’t actually expire, but the monthly fee that kicked in since I didn’t use it for 24 months brought the balance down to zero. That’s another $30 I don’t have.
Of course, none of this [...]