Articles and Videos

Managing Your Financial Future

Why We Spend the Way We Do in Retirement- Season 5: Episode 4

March 23, 2021

All marriages end in one of two ways: divorce or death. If you live long enough with someone, eventually one of you will mourn the other. And whether a spouse’s passing comes as a surprise or not, there will always be a list of tasks that the survivor must deal with at some point.  But what are those tasks, and when do you have to perform them? Good questions. And while everyone’s situation is unique, there are a few things that most everyone who is in that situation should be sure to get done.

Capitalize

Does it make sense to diversify? Interview with Michael Edesess -Season 1: Episode 7

March 22, 2021

Is asset allocation as a strategy a good idea, or is it an exercise in futility? What about annuities? Christopher Panagiotu, CFP®, CRPS®, continues his interview with Michael Edesess, Chief Investment Strategist with Compendium Finance. This section gets even deeper into the topic of diversification, as well as Warren Buffett’s style of investing, and Michael’s opinions on both asset allocation and whether annuities could be a good idea to include in someone’s portfolio.

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3 Important Issues With Later-in-Life Divorce

March 19, 2021

Most marriages are designed to last forever, or at least that’s usually the intention.  But when divorce happens, it can often create unforeseen financial issues for one or both parties — especially if they’re older, and have a lot of assets. Divorce in or near retirement can destroy years of careful planning if you’re not aware of your options.  There are pension considerations, Social Security issues, and you sometimes have to figure out what to do with your home.

Managing Your Financial Future

Your Spouse Dies – What Do You Do Now?- Season 5: Episode 3

March 16, 2021

All marriages end in one of two ways: divorce or death. If you live long enough with someone, eventually one of you will mourn the other. And whether a spouse’s passing comes as a surprise or not, there will always be a list of tasks that the survivor must deal with at some point.  But what are those tasks, and when do you have to perform them? Good questions. And while everyone’s situation is unique, there are a few things that most everyone who is in that situation should be sure to get done.

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Taking Advantage of Market Volatility

March 12, 2021

It probably goes without saying that 2020 was one of the most volatile years for stocks that we’ve ever seen.  We saw a decade-long bull market come to an end, followed by the shortest bear market in S&P 500 history, and then a rebound that sent the index back to all-time highs in early 2021. … View Article

Managing Your Financial Future

The Unintended Consequences of Social Security’s Survivor Benefits- Season 5: Episode 2

March 9, 2021

You may have heard that Social Security provides a “survivor benefit,” which allows a surviving spouse to continue to receive their deceased spouse’s benefits. The original intention (back in 1940) was to ensure that widows would not be left without a Social Security payment. Today, though,  with many dual-working households (and thus two Social Security benefits), those same survivor benefit rules may actually cause the survivor to take a cut in benefits — in some cases, by nearly 50%. How is that possible? And, even more importantly,  how can you strategize to keep this from happening?

Capitalize

Are Stocks Risky? Interview with Michael Edesess- Season 1: Episode 6

March 8, 2021

Does rebalancing one’s portfolio actually reduce risk?  Is there any value in benchmarking investments? Financial advisor Christopher Panagiotu, CFP®, CRPS®,  speaks with Michael Edesess, Chief Investment Strategist of Compendium Finance about the idea of rebalancing, and why it may not be everything that people in the financial services industry often say it is. They also discuss Michael’s views on buy-and-hold investing, passive investing, whether diversification makes sense these days, as well as his opinion on just how risky stocks actually are.

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Three Hidden Benefits of the Roth IRA

March 5, 2021

Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) are designed to be used as savings vehicles for your retirement.  As an added incentive to save, they often come with distinct tax advantages, such as deductions, deferrals, or tax-free withdrawals.  There are also, in most cases, penalty taxes for removing your money from the account too early. With the Roth IRA, though, there are exceptions to this “penalty tax,” potentially allowing you to access your money before you would normally be allowed to do so.  How might you be able to benefit from that? 

Managing Your Financial Future

The 3 Biggest Risks Facing Your Portfolio Today- Season 5: Episode 1

March 2, 2021

It’s a fact that retirees in general dislike spending down their savings.  In today’s low interest rate environment, and given declining dividend yields, how should one remove money from a portfolio for income without damaging the portfolio’s integrity and longevity? There are several possible routes to take, and unfortunately, many people may be tempted to reach for yield with either low-quality bond purchases or stocks with higher dividend yields.  But doing so almost certainly will raise the risk within a portfolio without any guarantee of higher returns.

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Why You Should Take Your RMDs Early in the Year

February 25, 2021

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) can be a tricky thing to navigate.  This has always been true, but even more so for last year (2020), when some of the rules either changed or were temporarily put on hold.  Not understanding these rules, or having the wrong information, can be costly. But did you know that you… View Article

Capitalize

How much can you actually spend in retirement? Interview with Dr. Wade Pfau- Season 1: Episode 5

February 22, 2021

Do you really spend more in retirement as time goes on? What should your asset allocation look like before and after you retire? We continue our interview with Dr. Wade Pfau, Ph.D., CFA, RICP®, following up on our previous discussion. Today, host Chris Panagiotu,  CFP®, CRPS®, will speak with Dr. Pfau about the conventional planning  perspective regarding retirement spending, and whether or not retirees tend to spend more – or less – as they get older. The answer may surprise you. Find out more on Part Two of this edition of CAPitalize, a podcast for the intelligent investor!

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Practical Advice on Buying and Selling a Home

February 18, 2021

Homeownership is for many people a major goal in life.  And while it’s often the most expensive thing we will ever buy in our lifetimes, there are also several potential financial benefits for owning, purchasing, or selling a home. If you’ve got plans this year to either buy or sell a primary residence, there are some things you should consider before doing so.