Investments

Your average return matters, but more than that, how you average matters.

To truly identify your investment mistakes (and hopefully prevent some along the way), you must first determine what a “mistake” means to you.

f you haven’t yet, you’ll see it in the news headlines soon; Tales of tumultuous future market performance based on which presidential candidate wins the 2024 election. But how serious can you take these forecasts, really?

The long-standing assumption of a consistent six-plus percent annualized return for U.S. equities, as supported by historical data, is being challenged.

The stock market will never be “safe”, and while this is important to recognize, it doesn’t mean it still can’t be a valuable tool for you in retirement.

The risks you haven’t planned for can ultimately be the ones that put you in financial jeopardy. However, these risks are often controllable, while future returns offer limited influence, especially when it comes to the stock market.

You want to avoid “Accidents” in retirement, and every accident is a result of a risk that you knowingly or unknowingly took on. Therefore, the key to avoiding your retirement “Accidents” begins with the identification of the risks.

Your pursuit of financial independence and wealth is one many share. However, when it comes to being “rich”, a life affluent of money doesn’t guarantee a life void of conflict.

Your ability to build strong character takes time and often occurs during seasons of crisis and distress. In these instances, reflect on your reactions, learn from your mistakes and seek lessons from the experience.

Your financial plan, investment strategy and your life are all about balance. It’s all poison, if you absorb too much of it.

Amidst today’s record-high interest rates, you have an opportunity to explore investments that might be better suited for this environment. While certificates of deposit (CDs) and fixed annuities are common suggestions, there's another option worth considering: A fixed index annuity.

Despite what you may perceive at the onset, most failures (financial included) are the result of a chain of failures, versus one outlying moment of error.