Beyond the Public Markets: Evaluating the Role of Private Credit
Private credit has been gaining traction among investors looking to broaden their portfolios beyond traditional stocks and bonds. Once reserved for institutional investors and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, this asset class is now more accessible to a broader audience, thanks to evolving fund structures and emerging investment platforms. But what is private credit, and how does it […]
Derivatives Explained: How Smart Risk Management Shapes Everyday Business
Derivatives sound like Wall Street jargon, but they’re really just simple agreements that help businesses and investors manage uncertainty. At their core, a derivative is a promise: two parties agree today on terms to buy or sell something at a set price on a future date. This lets companies lock in costs or revenues now, […]
Hedge Funds Demystified: What Retirees Need to Know
Most investors first hear the term “hedge fund” and picture a secretive club where only the ultra-wealthy can play. In reality, they’re simply private funds that give managers much wider latitude than a traditional mutual fund. They can borrow, sell securities short, trade derivatives, and concentrate positions in ways a traditional mutual fund cannot. The […]
Exploring Alternative Investments: What to Know Before You Dive In
When markets get bumpy or traditional portfolios start to feel a little “same old, same old,” it’s natural to wonder what else is out there. That curiosity often leads to a buzzy but often misunderstood corner of the investment world known as alternative investments. But before jumping in, it’s important to understand what these are, […]
Building a Social Security Bridge
Funding life between “I quit” and age 70—without gutting your portfolio Retiring before your first Social Security check arrives can feel like stepping off a pier and waiting for the tide to rise. Each year you wait to claim your benefits can boost your payments by roughly eight percent, plus cost-of-living adjustments, until you reach […]
Choosing Between Individual Bonds and Bond Funds in Your Investment Portfolio
When investors are looking at their bonds, one of the most common questions is whether they should use individual bonds or bond funds (either in the form of mutual funds or ETFs) in their investment portfolio. Interest rates have come up over the past few years, so the yields on bonds have also come up. […]
Financial Support of Adult Children and Your Retirement
Much has been written about how the current generation of young people are transitioning to full adulthood. Some take a very negative view characterizing the transition as “slow” while others take a sympathetic view, reasoning that that the transition is more difficult to make than it was for prior generations given that the cost of […]
Which Retirement Are You Buying?
For many, the default approach seems to be to just “save what I can” for retirement. Individuals taking this approach usually save what’s “leftover” after making payments on their home, car and credit cards and covering their expenses of daily living. People generally recognize that they should save at least enough to capture their employer’s 401(k) match, if such a match exists, lest they “leave money on the table” each year.
What Is The Retirement Spending Smile?
Our spending desires (and needs) change through time. Blanchett observes a “retirement spending smile” that varies slightly for retirees with different household spending levels.
How Often Should I Rebalance My Portfolio?
The market is going to drag your portfolio through every mud puddle it finds. It’s your job to pick your portfolio up, dust it off, and point it back in the right direction. Rebalancing brings your portfolio back into line, and ensures that you are taking the right amount of risk through time.
