by Eve Kaplan, Certified Financial Planner ™ In my prior article about annuities, I explained the kinds of annuities that are “bad” or “ugly” for investors: virtually all variable annuities, including indexed annuities (that are misleadingly categorized at a type of fixed annuity). My objections have to do primarily with cost and the fact that they often […]
Category: Annuities
Annuities Can Be Good, Bad or Ugly. Which Is Which? Part I
Annuities can be good, bad or downright ugly. How can you tell if your annuity is good, or if you should consider purchasing one? And what’s an annuity, anyway?. In this two-part series, I’ll begin with a review of the “bad and ugly” annuities (most variable annuities). Next month I’ll review “good” annuities (primarily immediate […]
Which is Best: Lump Sum or Pension Annuity?
by Eve Kaplan, Certified Financial Planner(TM) Is a lump sum offer from an employer a better choice than a pension annuity for life? The former provides an immediate up-front amount (say $300,000), but the pension annuity gives you a stream of payments for life (example: $1,350 per month). A number of employers dangle a lump […]
Annuities: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
By Eve Kaplan, CFP® Professional Are annuities Good, Bad or Ugly? It depends on your needs, and on the type of annuity. An annuity is a lump sum of cash invested to produce a monthly stream of income for a fixed period or for life. The income can start now (immediate annuity) or in the […]
The Top 11 Investment Pitfalls You – or Your Advisor – Often Commit
By Eve Kaplan, CFP® Here are the top 11 investment pitfalls I often see individuals AND advisors committing. (note: I’ll be discussing these in detail at a complimentary lecture at the Bernards Township Library on Thursday April 30, 7-8:30 pm; please call Lynne Hilf at 908-204-3031 x4 for more information). If you’re a “do it […]
The Stakes are Even Higher When Planning for Women. Here’s What You Can Do.
By Eve Kaplan, CFP® Are you a single woman (widowed, divorced or never married)? If so, your financial planning needs are greater than the average couple or single man. Why? You will live longer than the average man but you typically have less money to do so. In other words, you have “longevity risk.” What […]
“The Retirement Gamble”
by Eve Kaplan, CFP(R) Practitioner Have you seen the PBS Frontline documentary “The Retirement Gamble”? PBS ran it again on October 29 on Channel 13 — just in time for Halloween. It’s hard to watch this program without a sense of horror at the way our retirement plan system is rigged to rip off Americans struggling to save for their […]
KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) Your Way to Financial Health
By Eve Kaplan, CFP® Practitioner Are you familiar with the KISS (“Keep it Simple, Stupid”) concept? KISS helps you refine your elevator speech, write concisely…and can boost your financial health. KISS can help you cut through the endless avalanche of financial and investment information/tips. After working with hundreds of financial planning and investment clients, here […]
Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware) When It Comes to Complex Annuities!
Do you own an annuity — or have you been approached about buying one? Be aware that annuities are under increasing scrutiny, with the State of Florida leading the charge. Florida put suitability standards on the books in January 2011 to protect its senior citizens from fraudulent annuity sales that are unsuitable for a person’s […]
Avoid Variable Annuities
Suze Orman doesn’t like them. Some journalists are suspicious of them. Fee-only advisors (= advisors who don’t sell products) generally avoid them. I believe the public generally gets ripped off when they buy them. What are we talking about? Variable annuities. Guess who love variable annuities? Folks who earn sizzling commissions selling them. A 7-8% […]