Retirement Planning: Can Alternative Investments Help You Weather Volatile Markets?
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® on Tue, 04/23/2019 - 15:39
When planning for retirement, you have to balance taking too much risk and too little risk with your investments. Being too conservative creates the potential risk of outliving your savings or losing purchasing power due to inflation, and, at the same time, you can’t take too much risk, since once you’re retired, there’s no easy way to make back large losses.
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4 Points to Consider When Selecting a Health Insurance Plan
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® on Tue, 04/23/2019 - 15:19
You know the old saying, “The only things you can be sure of in this life are death and taxes.” Well, we think that should be revised to, “The only things you can be sure of in this life are death, taxes, and rising health care costs …”
As health care costs continue to increase, choosing the right health insurance plan for you and your family is more important than ever. And due to how complicated the health care world has gotten, oftentimes, choosing the right plan can feel like navigating a minefield.
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Risks and Rewards: Investing in Venture Capital
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® and Nicholas A. Ibello, CFP®, AIF® on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 15:25
Originally posted in the Baltimore Business Journal on February 1, 2019
Venture capital (VC) is one of the best-known alternative investment classes. Whether we are ordering an Uber, staying in an Airbnb, riding a Peloton bike, or eating an Impossible Burger, venture-backed companies are part of our everyday life. But, for every unicorn (venture terminology for a company valued at more than $1 billion), there are scores of companies that we never hear about due to the high rate of start-up failures.
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We Didn’t Start the FIRE
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 15:23
Originally posted in the Baltimore Business Journal on January 4, 2019
The allure of FIRE, the acronym for Financially Independent, Retire Early, has gained popularity in the last few years, especially with the younger generation. While some may want to work “forever,” some simply want to get out of the “rat race” as soon as possible. Simply speaking, FIRE proponents believe in the idea of saving the majority of their income (by likely living very thriftily) for a decade or two and then maintaining a low-cost retirement lifestyle.
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5 Considerations for Starting Your Own Business
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 15:21
Starting your own business can be stressful and nerve-wracking at times, and requires well-thought-out planning. Before you start your own business, consider these 5 important factors.
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Retirement Planning: 3 Questions Pre-Retirees Often Overlook
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 15:19
A lot of people spend years, even decades, planning their retirement. But ironically, even with that much time, they overlook one big factor.
With the help of their financial advisors, they determine how much to save, where to invest and how much risk to take, then forecast their lifestyle and associated living expenses in retirement. However, retirement planning is more than just calculating “the numbers.”
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Ancillary Expenses: How Much Does College Really Cost?
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® and Nicholas A. Ibello, CFP®, AIF® on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 15:18
Originally posted on Wed, Novemeber 7, 2018
While they make up the lion’s share of the costs, tuition is not the only expense college students incur. Students (or parents who are helping to pay for college) will also need to consider ancillary costs like books, meal plans, travel, and extracurricular activities.
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Define Retirement: Volunteering Could Be a Win-Win for Retirees
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 15:11
In order to retire the way you want to, when you want to, and as financially stable as you want to, it takes a good, solid financial plan and usually, the work of an expert financial advisor. (Will you be able to outlive your money? Are you able to leave a legacy? Are your loved ones taken care of when you’re gone?) However, when it comes time to define retirement, the definition looks different to different people.
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Should I Buy Long-Term Care Insurance?
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® and Nicholas A. Ibello, CFP®, AIF® on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 15:09
Originally posted in the Baltimore Business Journal on November 2, 2018
As much as we look forward to our retirement, where we hope to spend more time with family, travel, or indulge in our hobbies, statistically, there is a high likelihood we may become ill at some point and require long-term care. Just like any other risks – life, disability, automobile, home – we need to determine if we should shift this risk to an insurance company or accept the risk.
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The New Way to Pay for Private Education
Posted by Gary S. Williams, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® and Nicholas A. Ibello, CFP®, AIF® on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 15:07
Originally posted in the Baltimore Business Journal on October 26, 2018
Every parent wants the best for their children; nice friends, excelling in sports or other hobbies, and of course the best education. When it comes to education, the focus is typically around saving for the extraordinary expense of college, but for some parents, education costs may start much earlier. Whether you’ve just had a baby or you are sending your child to high school (or anywhere in between!), your top worry may be saving for the more immediate need: private school.
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