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The Shrinkage in Variable Annuities

November 16, 2012

Hartford Financial wants to get out of the annuity business. It wants out of the variable annuity business so badly that recently it offered to buy out the interests of current variable annuity holders. This is part of a trend among insurers to limit or withdraw from their annuity businesses. The problem for insurers is […]

Why Stocks Go Down

November 14, 2012

It doesn’t have much to do with the election or even fears of the fiscal cliff. Only a couple of things move stocks. They boil down to people either want to pay a higher multiple for earnings than they did yesterday, or they don’t. The fact is that earnings aren’t as robust as they were […]

Why Is Fidelity Liquidating Some Funds?

November 13, 2012

Fidelity is one of the biggest mutual fund firms. It seems to roll out a new fund regularly. It’s a behemoth. Yet, it’s closing three funds. Not closing them to investors, but shutting them down. There are lessons for investors in this news, and they are well-expressed here. Too often, a fad is created in […]

The Federal Reserve Chance of Recession Chart

November 9, 2012

A few days ago I linked to a chart from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis that attempts to forecast recessions. The post I linked to asserted that the chart now indicates we have a 100% chance of a recession based on how the chart today compares with past performance. But it turns out […]

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Managing Changes in Long-Term Care Insurance

November 1, 2012

Changes have roiled the long-term care insurance market the last couple of years. The latest big changes came from the leading LTCI insurer, Genworth. The good news is that unlike other insurers, it plans to stay in the market. Genworth eliminated unlimited lifetime benefits as a policy option and also the choice to fully pay […]

A Primer on Converting to a Roth IRA

November 1, 2012

Tax rates and taxes on investment income could rise after 2012. There’s the fiscal cliff of expiring tax provisions. Beyond that, there’s the likelihood that spiraling federal budget deficits and tax reform will cause higher tax rates on distributions from traditional IRAs. That’s why in 2012 Roth IRA conversions are on the list of potential […]

Looming Medicare Deadlines

November 1, 2012

Medicare is the main medical expense insurance plan for retirees, and it’s also among the most complicated programs. Most retirees and pre-retirees don’t know much about the program, which is revealed in many surveys. The enrollment rules trip up many people. Mistakes here trigger extra premiums for the rest of their lives. Others miss the […]

Estate Planning

Why is the Power of Attorney an Essential Estate Planning Tool

November 1, 2012

Many people use the last part of the year to put their financial houses in order. Yet, one move many overlook is to create or revise their powers of attorney. You need more than one POA, and they are an essential part of every estate plan, regardless of the value of your estate. You should […]

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