Topics: Dodd-Frank looking better, universal public LTCI? Gross: death of equities, Malkiel: equities alive and well, US/Florida house prices up, Toronto/Vancouver sales slow, ‘lump-sum’ vs. annuities, voluntary vs. mandated pensions, pensions and muni bankruptcies, Danish rates go negative, Finra’s unsavoury arbitration, money market reform, Sarbox failed, end-of-life plans. Personal Finance and Investments In the Globe and […]

Topics: Humans compelled to trade, wills after re-marriage, long-term care fears over-rated? withdrawal strategies, US/Canada home prices up, Toronto no bubble-maybe, pension changes? pension costs critical, do actuaries add value to pensions? retirement needs 25 years of safe assets? gold is insurance? disaster economics suggests portfolio insurance re-think? illegal acts essential to success in financial […]

Topics: Banks=1: Customers= 0, group RRSPs: high cost and zero guidance, beating the index? arbitrary/insane US medical charges, ETFs OK, US home sales down and prices bottom, Florida home sales and prices up, reverse mortgages still NOT, CPP at 65 not 70, Nortel bankruptcy a pensioner disaster, pension fees high, bond buyers irrational? financial industry […]

Topics: Advisers vs. salesmen, funds vs. ETFs, income splitting, wills, snowbird travel health insurance, Canadian house prices peaked? OAS costs to soar, Social Security’s huge hole, GM decision a dry-run for Nortel pensioners, collective DC plans with guarantees? Hedge funds? Roubini’s “perfect storm”, Treasuries not recommended? Occupy Wall Street vs. Unintended Consequences, ”risk-free” assets an […]

Topics: Elder financial abuse, US reverse-mortgages may be better but are they good enough? are target-date funds safe? rent or buy not just a financial decision, tightening mortgage rules imminent in Canada? Nortel bond-holders $1.25 while pensioners $0.15? good ideas in OECD pension report, pension fees, post-war parallel of “financial repression” and being on the […]

Topics: Retirement spending declines voluntarily, disappearing inheritances? financial tuneup, retirement planning steps, fund boards ineffective, Otar: zone strategy enhanced with stress testing, lower annuities for affluent retirees, foreigners/Canadians buy up US houses, Toronto condo-craze cooling? UK GDP sustained by delayed retirements, OECD: raise retirement age, Swedish regulator adjusts for “financial repression”, rate increase a threat […]

Topics: Start spending, Roth 401(k) preferred, financial industry trends, growth in life insurance? FL hurricane insurance, CPP+DB are target benefit??? retirement age=80? age impact on CPP benefit, public pension plan watershed? panic is rational, sustainable spending, quantitative inadequacies, SROs? document protection, national well-being, betting or hedging? “winner effect”. Personal Finance and Investments “Quit saving and start spending” […]

Topics: Active vs. index investing, astrology vs. astronomy, “exchange traded” does not mean ”good for you”, should you care about Facebook valuation-NOT? retirement plan spoilers, bad habits, delayed Social Security, required Canadian investment regulatory changes, fiduciary duty, house prices: Canada up-US flat-Florida up, Florida housing affordable, staging homes for sale, aging pension plans, equity cult? […]

Topics: Bengen stands by 4.5% rule with refinements, parents’ future, trust your advisor? home to fund retirement? US real estate sales/prices up, CPP investment story, Euro, euro-zone and impact on Canada, ‘perfect storm’ of corporate debt, retirement risk, Value-at-Risk Personal Finance and Investments In the Financial Advisor’s “How much is enough?” William Bengen, “the father […]