Saving for a Secure Retirement

The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College released a paper this month (11/11) titled: How Much to Save for a Secure Retirement. It is highly readable and gives a nice overview of the interaction between the age at which one begins to save for retirement, the average rate of return on the retirement savings and the age at which one chooses to retire. Based on these factors, one can get an idea of what percentage of...

Dangerous Day in the Markets?

Yikes! The Dow is down over 500 points while I’m writing this post. This is a dangerous day in the stock markets: but not the way you might think. For those of you that are investing for long term goals like your retirement, this day could be dangerous because it might scare you. The danger mainly lies in the possibility that you might become scared enough to sell out of your stock ETFs or stock mutual funds! If...

William Duncan is Accepted as a Provisional Member...

As of May 24, 2011, we are pleased to announce that William Duncan has been accepted as a Provisional Member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. This organization is highly respected in the financial industry and press for its standards. In order to be admitted as a provisional member: First and foremost, the applicant must be a Fee-Only financial planner. The planner may not derive any compensation...

Toby Keith’s Financial Planning Advice(?)!

Remember that I’m originally from Oklahoma. I grew up listening to country music. This wasn’t my first choice but you didn’t mess with the radio station if my dad was within earshot. Now, I actually enjoy it. I was listening the other day while Toby Keith’s “Somewhere Else” was on and two lines of the lyrics struck a financial or goal planning nerve. Toby had gotten it just right. In...

Update: What you don’t know about your Socia...

The first workshop was held last week. We had a nice discussion, a little fun and everyone learned something. Let’s face it: the Social Security program is run by a huge bureacracy. Is it really surprising that it isn’t as simple as you think it is? Attend this seminar before you set a retirement date – you might change your mind. . . . . (or be better prepared). We will look at the stability of Social...

Fiscal Fitness

  If any of you aren’t sure about what I can do for you and how the fee-only financial planning process works, this may help: I work like a personal trainer does, except I work on your fiscal fitness! The analogy isn’t original and it is a little simplistic but it does make sense. Just like a personal trainer: We have to do an assessment. What kind of shape are you in now? This isn’t to judge you,...