You’ve arrived at (or are fast approaching) retirement and you’ve worked hard to get here. Congratulations! We’ve prepared a list of items to consider and take care of to start your retirement with confidence. Think about this new stage in two ways: 1) Defining your goals and establishing all the great things you want to do; and, 2) Structuring your financial life so you can make it all happen Just a little bit of time and planning can help make your retirement even more enjoyable and smooth. Retirement Planning Strategy: 13 Steps for Success 1) Build an Investment Plan with Your Financial Advisor An investment plan is your ultimate guidebook for retirement – the roadmap you can reference to see where you are on your retirement journey and to help you navigate issues that arise along the way. A comprehensive investment plan should include the following features: [+] Read More

Retiring in today’s world can seem to be a bit of a mystery. It used to be that when you retired, your company threw you a party then sent you home with a comfortable pension and health insurance. While times have changed, that doesn’t mean your retirement has to be any less comfortable or rewarding than your parent’s. In fact, with all the investment and planning options available today, you and your financial advisor can build a goals-based retirement plan that best suits your income needs, your future plans and your family’s unique situation. Our popular e-book, 5 Ways to Enhance Your Retirement Planning Strategy So You Can Face the Future with Confidence, provides you with an understanding of five of the most effective methods of planning for your retirement. [+] Read More

The Dow Jones and the S&P 500 have hit fresh all-time highs this year, and many investors are starting to consider whether stocks are approaching “overvalued” territory. As investors, you’ve worked hard to accumulate assets and grow your portfolio over time, so it’s natural to wonder if “being overvalued” could mean it’s time to pare back your equity holdings or at least reconsider your asset allocation. But the real question to address first is: are stocks really overvalued? JP Morgan Research puts current stock valuations in perspective by taking a look at how they measure up historically. What they found is that current valuations are actually pretty close to their long-term averages, and not necessarily overvalued on a relative basis. [+] Read More

The Dow Jones and the S&P 500 have hit fresh all-time highs this year,1 and mutterings of stocks being “overvalued” have started to sprout in the media. As a result, you may be wondering if this means it’s time to review your current asset allocation. A closer look at the numbers, however, shows that stock valuations are actually in-line with historical averages. JP Morgan Research puts this all in perspective by analyzing current valuations and comparing them with the 25 year averages for stocks, and what they found is that they are almost the same. [+] Read More

As we enter the second half of the year, there are three main things you should be factoring-in to your portfolio strategy: 1) The Possibility of a Stock Market Correction A significant amount of time has passed since the last sizable market pullback (10% or more), and history tells us one could be on the way.1 2) You May Not Have Enough International Exposure International stocks have not rebounded as quickly as US stocks during the recovery, and the case for international growth looks strong at the moment. Yet, many US investors remain under-allocated to international equities.1 3) Adjusting Your Portfolio from a Risk-Managed Perspective This is a constant with investing, but as we enter the 5th year of this bull market it becomes increasingly important. Consider tactical money manager strategies with the ability to go to cash in the event of a prolonged market downturn.1 [+] Read More

The first half of the year was positive for stocks and most of the fixed income markets, and economies around the world showed signs of continued recovery and expansion – a good start to the year.1 Global Economy Performance and Outlook (Click chart for larger version) Source: J.P. Morgan Global Economic Research, J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Forecast and aggregate data come from J.P. Morgan Global Economic Research. Historical growth data collected from FactSet Economics. Guide to the Markets – U.S. Data are as of 6/30/14. As we look ahead to the back half of the year, there are three topics many investors are wondering about. We break those down below and assess what we think the market impact could be. 3 Factors that Could Affect the Investment Landscape Will Interest Rates Start to Rise? Interest rates are currently near historical lows, and actually fell slightly in the second quarter.1 However, Federal Reserve policy discussions indicate they could potentially tick higher over the course of the year. As always, it’s important to understand how rising interest rates would affect your fixed income portfolio. [+] Read More

The summer season gives families the chance to get together for quality time and fun, but it also presents you with an important opportunity – to have a constructive conversation with your family about your finances and estate plan. Fidelity Investments found that 86% of parents felt peace of mind after having conversation with their children, yet only one-third of parents and children agree about the right timing for these conversations.1 Having this talk helps in three ways: Preparation – inform your family how you want your estate handled and distributed Educational – your family members can learn about the details, their role in the plan and clear up any gray areas Comfort –peace of mind is important and knowing there’s a plan in place to help the transition go smoothly can help If you’ve been meaning to have this discussion but haven’t started it yet, make now the right time to do it. [+] Read More

The stock market overcame some volatility early in the year but continued to trend higher. As the market has reached new all-time highs, many investors are wondering if it’s too late to put additional cash to work. Others have indicated they’re still waiting for a possible stock market correction before making any decisions. One thing remains clear – despite what happens in the market and when, it’s likely you still need your portfolio growing and generating retirement income over time. There are two types of money manager strategies that could ease concerns about where the market’s headed while positioning your portfolio for a variety of outcomes. Tactical Money Manager Strategies are designed to temper the effects of a market decline while trying to capture growth, and Dividend Income Money Manager Strategies aim to generate income while reducing volatility. Let’s take a look at both. [+] Read More

The stock market overcame some volatility early in the year but continued to trend higher. As the market has reached new all-time highs, many investors are wondering if it’s too late to put additional cash to work. Others have indicated they’re still waiting for a possible stock market correction before making any decisions. One thing remains clear – despite what happens in the market and when, it’s likely you still need your portfolio growing and generating retirement income over time. There are two types of portfolio strategies that could ease concerns about where the market’s headed while positioning your portfolio for a variety of outcomes. Tactical Strategies are designed to temper the effects of a market decline while trying to capture growth, and Dividend Income Strategies aim to generate income while reducing volatility. Let’s take a look at both. [+] Read More