04 Dec

Video Insights: The Number

By John

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving and is getting ready for the holidays.

I wanted to share one of my end of the year goals with you. I’ve been wanting to try recording video messages but, if you know me, I am not the most technologically advanced person in the world and have been avoiding it. With the new year looming, I finally did it.  Below is a link to my first Video Insights.

 

23 Feb

Retirement Bootcamps in Philly & Boston Areas

By John

Earlier this week we officially announced my "Retirement Bootcamps" coming up in Philadelphia (May 2} and in the Boston area (May 9).  I've held similar events - or as I like to call them, "Extravaganzas!" - in the Philly area, but this is the first time that I'll be doing it in the Boston area, so I am really excited about that.

17 Jun

John Oliver on Financial Planners

By John

In case you missed it, below is a comedy sketch from John Oliver from HBO’s “Last Week Tonight”. Your clients/prospects may ask you about it so I want all to have seen it. It is about 20 minutes long but worth viewing. Yes, it is funny and irreverent but it does paint our entire industry (even those like you that are doing it right) with a broad, negative brush. It is a window into the perception that many people have of us.

https://youtu.be/gvZSpET11ZY

08 Jun

85% of Americans are Financially Anxious

By John

The following article appears on PlanSponsor.com.  Americans are concerned not only with retirement, but also with unexpected heath care costs, unemployment, student loan debt, and other day-to-day expenses.  What are you doing to ease your clients' financial anxiety?  Are you talking with your clients about their short-term and long-term goals and the sources of their financial anxieties?

16 Feb

Things You Can Do Right Now for Concerned Clients… (Or Not)

By John

You’ve done everything right as a financial advisor: You’ve stayed in touch; reviewed and discussed short, mid and long-term goals, did a risk tolerance survey, made appropriate adjustments to a balanced portfolio along the way; and then BAM!   2016 rolls and the stock market drops, oil prices plummet, China’s in trouble, European Banks falter and Donald trump and Bernie Sanders lead the polls!!!!

12 Nov

Treasury Launches myRA Retirement Savings Plan

By John

Last week the Treasury Department announced the national launch of myRA (“my Retirement Account”), a new savings option for those who don’t have access to a retirement savings plan at their job.

myRA is designed as a starter retirement account for middle- and low-income workers that do not have access to an employer sponsored retirement plan and is intended to appeal to first-time savers. 

03 Nov

File and Suspend, Spousal Benefits Strategy to End

By John

Last week, the Senate passed a budget bill and attached to it were changes to the “File and Suspend” strategy that financial planners have used in the past.  Under the new law, individuals can still suspend their benefits, but relatives will not be allowed to submit a new claim for spousal benefits based on the earnings of the worker who suspended his benefits.  The article below appeared in the October 31st issue of The Wall Street Journal and does a good job explaining t

09 Oct

Preparing for Boomerang Kids

By John

At a recent Extravaganza class in Philadelphia, we had a discussion on “Helicopter Parents” and how more and more parents are taking on the financial debt of their adult children.  While it is admirable that parents want to lend a helping hand to recent college grads, it is quite another thing to take on debt at the expense of retirement savings.

11 Aug

The Biggest Social Security Mistake Women Make

By John

Is 62 too young to claim for women to claim Social Security?

That is the age at which both women and men are allowed to claim, and sure enough, 40.8 percent of the women who were newly awarded Social Security retirement benefits in 2014 were aged 62. Some 65 percent were below their full retirement age, typically 66. And just 2.8 percent of the women were 70 or older, the age at which they receive their maximum Social Security retirement benefits, according to Social Security Administration data.

17 Jul

Keep the Greece Situation in Perspective

By John

A number of people have asked me what my take is on what is happening in Greece and China.  They have read articles and heard the media “experts” but don’t fully understand what is going on and how it will affect them and their clients and have asked me for a simplified version.  I’m not sure I can do that, but I’m going to try.  If you subscribe to my Audio Insights, you should have gotten a recording on this.

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