WrapManager's Wealth Management Blog

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

Managing retirement income is a highly personalized endeavor. What works well for one person isn't necessarily the best solution for another. But one thing is usually true for everyone: increasing your social security income is a good thing. It turns out that your social security income amount isn't necessarily fixed. You can potentially increase social security benefits by taking advantage of one more of the following strategies. And that's definitely a good thing. [+] Read More

U.S. investors are significantly under-allocated to international stocks, according to JP Morgan Asset Management. They found that even though 50% of the world’s equity market capitalization is found outside the US, investors have less than a third of their portfolios allocated abroad.1 This imbalance represents a significant disconnect between where the world’s growth is generated today versus where investor portfolios are allocated, and is especially magnified as investment prospects outside the US continue to improve.1 To address this investment issue, you should review your retirement plan’s international exposure with your financial advisor. Is your investment portfolio positioned for whatever growth opportunities may lie ahead in the international markets? [+] 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

We are happy to present JP Morgan’s Third Quarter Guide to the Markets, narrated by their Chief Marketing Strategist Dr. David Kelly, CFA. This easy and comprehensive 30-minute presentation focuses on the risks and opportunities in the ongoing global recovery, including: Growth outlook for the US and international economies Interest rates and which way they are likely to go Outlook for US, international and emerging stock markets Fixed income market review “People need to invest based not on how they feel about the economy, but based on how they think, based on the facts, based on the numbers. And that’s really what the Guide to the Markets is dedicated to.” - Dr. David Kelly, JP Morgan. Watch the Presentation Here Note: JP Morgan will ask for a name and email to watch the presentation. [+] Read More

Should you count on Social Security benefits as an integral part of your retirement income plan? And how much? These are questions we hear often. There's a lot of confusion out there regarding social security benefits because misinformation abounds. With political issues, rhetoric becomes inflamed, and information is often used to sway opinion or policy. But when you're planning for retirement, misinformation is dangerous. What you need are solid answers about Social Security. Let's look at some of the most common questions surrounding Social Security in retirement. [+] 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

Creating a Family Limited Partnership (FLP) as part of your estate plan can potentially save your family thousands of dollars in gift and estate taxes. FLPs also provide savings via protection of your assets from creditors – in this sense, you’re saving by not losing. For families with significant assets in businesses, real estate, or other income producing assets who are looking for effective ways to pass assets to heirs in a tax-efficient manner, Family Limited Partnerships are worth exploring. What is a Family Limited Partnership? It is a limited partnership in which (generally senior) family members contribute assets in exchange for general and limited interest, and then in turn transfer limited interest unto heirs. The partnership itself isn’t taxable – the owners of the partnership report its income on their personal tax returns, in proportion to their interests. [+] Read More

Tactical money manager Newfound Research explains why portfolio drawdowns become more damaging as retirement nears and makes the case that baby boomers need a risk managed solution when it comes to investing. “When we think about retirement specifically, many people’s savings are extremely back-loaded. The years leading up to retirement tend to be when a person has the most earning potential and can put the most money to work in their investment portfolio. As a result, drawdowns that occur closer to retirement can be significantly more devastating than drawdowns that occur earlier in a person’s career.” Read Newfound's Full Commentary Here Get Free Research Reports on Newfound Research [+] Read More