The Value of Sound Financial Decisions: From Alpha to Gamma

David Blanchett and Paul Kaplan at Morningstar created a similar study about the value of good decision making. Their results and approach are different from those of Vanguard, but the goal is the same: to quantify the costs of poor and good decision making. Naturally, many assumptions must be made regarding good financial decisions and the impact of poor financial decisions.
The Value of Sound Financial Decisions

Good financial planning decisions extend well beyond where and how you invest. Two major research efforts have attempted to quantify how good financial decision making can enhance your lifetime standard of living. It is important to understand what this research means, because this may not always equal a higher portfolio return in the short term.
How Do Presidential Elections Affect The Markets?

With the presidential election coming up, people are naturally curious about what the elections mean for the stock market – and, more importantly, for their investments (and everything those investments represent).
Academic Acceptance for Reverse Mortgages in Retirement Income

“Although reverse mortgages aren’t for everyone, the reluctance to consider use of reverse mortgages in the distribution phase limits the flexibility of distribution strategies.”
Improving Retirement Income Efficiency Using Reverse Mortgages

Maintaining higher fixed costs in retirement increases exposure to sequence risk by requiring a higher withdrawal rate from remaining assets. Drawing from a reverse mortgage has the potential to mitigate this aspect of sequence risk by reducing the need for portfolio withdrawals at inopportune times.
Replacing Your Mortgage with a Reverse Mortgage

After my recent overview of potential uses for a reverse mortgage, I want to go deeper on each item.
Spending Options for a Reverse Mortgage

Most current HECM reverse mortgages use an adjustable interest rate, which allows the proceeds from the reverse mortgage to be taken out in any of four ways or a combination thereof.
How Does the Line Of Credit for a Reverse Mortgage Work?

A mortgage’s effective rate is applied not just to the loan balance, but also to the overall principal limit, which grows throughout the duration of the loan.
Upfront Costs of Opening a Reverse Mortgage

Upfront costs for reverse mortgages come in three categories.
Eligibility Requirements for a Reverse Mortgage

The requirements to become an eligible HECM borrower are numerous. Do you qualify?