A few years ago, Bob retired early because he was convinced he had enough money to fund his golden years. Now he’s not so sure. Each time he withdraws money from his portfolio, he sees his balance dip and feels his blood pressure rise. (And he nearly passes out when the market suddenly drops.) Because […]

For the last couple of weeks, we’ve been examining the two primary forms of life insurance—“term” and “whole life” (or “permanent”). More specifically, we’ve been evaluating the commonly repeated advice: “Buy term and invest the rest.”  It seems so obvious. When you’re young and healthy, term insurance is shockingly inexpensive. Doesn’t it make sense to […]

Last week, I began a discussion about the two most common kinds of life insurance: term insurance and whole life insurance—and which one makes the most sense for you. Specifically, we examined this commonly-asked question: “What if, instead of buying a more expensive whole life insurance policy, you opted for a less expensive term policy […]

In discussions of life insurance, you’ve probably heard someone say, “Buy term and invest the difference.” Some have suggested this popular mantra originated with financial guru Suze Orman or perhaps Andrew Tobias (in his 1978 book, The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need). Others attribute the pithy sales pitch to insurance magnate A. L. Williams, […]

As people near retirement, most ask some version of this question: “What financial risks should I watch out for in this next chapter of my life?” The answer is not that complicated: Many of the same risks you face now—plus a couple more. Here’s why that’s interesting: If you are about to voluntarily retire, you […]

After another brutal tax season—digging up records for his CPA, trying to recall expenditures and hunt down old receipts, etc.—Bob vowed, “Never again!” He went online and purchased some money management software, thinking, “Next year, I want to be able to push a button and easily generate all kinds of accurate, detailed reports.” Last night, […]