Last weeks’ column generated some great questions regarding annuities. I will try to answer some of the most common here.*Q – Why do you dislike annuities? A – I don’t dislike annuities. They have their place in the right situation. I dislike when annuity salespeople sell them inappropriately. Q – In simple terms, what is…
DetailsAmerica is suffering through a major labor crisis. I’ve never seen a time like this. Not only are help wanted signs everywhere, but businesses are also proactively asking their customers if they know anyone at all who would like a job. Already many businesses are operating on reduced hours and reduced services due to a…
DetailsWhen I was a young entrepreneur, everything seemed simple. I paid 5 cents for candy bars and sold them for 10 cents. The math was easy. As you get older, financial numbers get bigger and more complicated. Rates of return become affected by interest rates, taxes and inflation. A persons’ portfolio may have $50,000 more…
DetailsMost investors know they shouldn’t try to time the market. Stock markets react to events in ways that are often impossible to predict. The current volatility is a great example. Since the Russian war began, we have had huge swings both up and down on Wall Street, even though the news each day has been…
DetailsHuman emotions can be good or bad depending on how we respond to them. A very useful emotion is fear. Though unpleasant, fear causes us to be extra cautious and to consider our options for escape if necessary. Fear helps us survive but only if balanced by good judgement. I was in a bank when…
DetailsThe Russian invasion of Ukraine and its possible spread to other areas is obviously the hot topic this week. As a financial advisor it’s difficult to discuss the potential effects on investors at a time when millions of innocent people are being threatened with having their lives, livelihoods and freedoms destroyed. There are many things…
DetailsOne of the biggest challenges new pilots face is keeping an airplane straight and level. Airplanes react more slowly than automobiles, creating a tendency for trainees to overcorrect. The resulting oscillation would make anyone in the back seats queasy, where motion is exaggerated. Which, by the way, is why first class is always in the…
DetailsA college football player whose injury forced him to sit out his teams’ bowl game was interviewed about his experience and future. He recounted the hit that took him down, and his severe pain as he was carted off the field. The interviewer asked if he was disappointed to be missing the big game and…
DetailsThe current investment markets are in a battle between interest rates and inflation. Let me see if I can explain it a bit by starting in the 1980’s when I financed my first home with an 18% loan.No, that is not a misprint. I laugh at today’s young home buyers who worry about 30 year…
DetailsOn my first date with Launa , when the waitress asked for her drink order she replied, “A glass of water please.” Thirty-six years later whenever we have eaten out her drink orders have always been the same. I don’t think any of our kids even knew restaurants offered soda. Eating out once with another…
Details