Investors can learn much from Super Bowl teams
by Edward Jones Matthew North Financial Advisor It’s Super Bowl time again. And whether you’re a sports fan or not, you can probably learn something from the Super Bowl teams that you can apply to other endeavors — such as investing. What might these lessons be? Take a look: • Pick players carefully. Super Bowl [...]
Delay in investing could prove costly
by Edward Jones Matthew North Financial Advisor You’ve no doubt heard that “time is money.” While this expression may be applicable in many areas of life, it’s especially relevant for investors — because the more time you spend not investing, the less money you are likely to have when you really need it, such as [...]
Don’t play politics with your investment decisions
by Edward Jones Matthew North Financial Advisor While the election season heats up, you will hear more and more promises, claims and counter-claims from the candidates. As a citizen, you may or may not enjoy this “political theater,” but as an investor, you might be concerned over all the talk about taxes, Social Security, Medicare [...]
When should you start taking social security
by Edward Jones Matthew North Financial Advisor If you’re of a certain age, the new year means you’re that much closer to a day you may have anticipated with a combination of humor and resignation — specifically, the day you’re eligible for Social Security. But just because you can take Social Security, it doesn’t mean [...]
What does investment landscape look like in 2012?
As an investor, you know that 2011 was a somewhat “choppy” year, with the financial markets going through many ups and downs. So what can you expect in 2012?
As baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra is quoted as saying: “It’s hard to make predictions — especially about the future.” And these words are certainly applicable for anyone who would like an accurate forecast of the investment climate.
Yet we do know of some factors that may affect your portfolio in the months ahead. Here are a few of them:
Time for New Year’s financial resolutions
Once again, it’s time to make some New Year’s resolutions. This year, in addition to hitting the gym, learning that second language and getting better organized, why not also consider a few financial resolutions?
What types of resolutions might you consider? Here are a few suggestions:
How to cope with the ‘threat of longevity’
You can’t predict how long you’ll live. Nonetheless, you still need to consider longevity as a key factor in creating, and following, a long-term investment strategy.
And your projected lifespan may be longer than you had thought. Men who turned 65 in 2010 can expect to live another 18.6 years, while women who reached 65 that same year can anticipate another 20.7 years, according to the 2011 Social Security Trustees Report. And these figures are just averages; depending on your health and family history of longevity, you could well spend two, or even three, decades in retirement.
Charitable giving helps everyone
To participate in the spirit of the holiday season, you may be thinking of making some charitable gifts. If so, you’ll no doubt enjoy helping a group that does valuable work.
But to begin with, it’s important to understand just how necessary your gifts are to the country’s social fabric. Given the effects of the Great Recession and the slow recovery, it’s not surprising to learn that charitable giving fell a combined 13% in 2008 and 2009, after adjusting for inflation, according to The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. And although 2010 giving increased by 2.1%, again adjusted for inflation, many groups are seeing tough times as 2011 comes to a close. So your gift counts.
Money management tips
As you know, the holiday season can be joyous, hectic, celebratory — and expensive. And while you certainly enjoy hosting family gatherings and giving presents to your loved ones, you’ll find these things even more pleasurable if they don’t add a lot more weight to your debt load. And that’s why you’ll want to follow some smart money-management techniques over the next few weeks.
To begin with, try to establish realistic budgets for both your entertaining and your gift giving. When you host family and friends, don’t go overboard on your expenditures. Your guests will still appreciate your efforts, which, with a little creativity, can create a welcoming and fun experience for everyone. As a guiding principal, keep in mind these words attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the famous German poet and philosopher: “What you can do without, do without.” Set a budget and stick to it.
Here’s your year-end investment checklist
As an investor, you’ve pretty much seen it all in 2011 — including slow-but-steady gains early in the year, a market correction during the debt ceiling debate and the U.S. credit downgrade, and huge one-day price movements, both up and down — and there’s still a month to go. But despite the volatility of the past 11 months, you can make some positive year-end investment moves, including the following:
