Long-Term Care: Is It Right For You?


Long-Term care insurance can be controversial. Unlike other insurance solutions, the decision as to whether you should own this type of coverage is up for debate. As with all financial decisions, this should be researched and determined with a great deal of thought. For many people, a great deal of concern as our population ages,…

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The Benefits Of Alternative Investing


One of the lessons learned in recent decades resulting from multiple market corrections and periods of increased volatility is that portfolio management has become more dynamic. Traditional asset allocation models of equities, fixed income, and cash equivalents may not be sufficient for growth and income oriented portfolios. In certain cases, alternative asset strategies may be…

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The Risk And Impact Of Inflation


Inflation is defined as the general rate of increase in the cost of goods and services and is the hidden tax that evaporates our purchasing power over time. Inflation is the result of more dollars chasing after fewer goods. Inflationary risk is one of the many risks that investors must cope with in the grand…

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Value Versus Growth Investing – Which Is Better?


One of the oldest debates within the investment community is between the benefits of value investing versus growth investing. Numerous arguments have been made in favor of both approaches at different times. A basic understanding of the two approaches must first be gained to evaluate a point of view. Value Investing is based on the…

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REITs: The Basics Of Real Estate Investment Trusts


The real estate market can be a great investment opportunity for the average investor, if the timing is right. Real estate, like any asset class, is cyclical in its behavior. This can present short-term as well as long-term opportunities. Many investors have opted to buy individual properties as their primary residences as well as for…

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The Pros And Cons Of Non-qualified Deferred Compensation


Retirement savings options have expanded dramatically over the last four decades. Defined contribution plans such as 401ks have progressively become the primary source of private sector savings since the early 1980s. Unfortunately, for those in a higher income range, annual dollar value caps associated with contributions are imposed. In 2014, the maximum annual salary deferral…

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What Role Should Commodities Play In A Portfolio?


In the course of building a long term investment portfolio, the focus should be based on not just returns…but risk-adjusted returns. The premise behind a multi-asset portfolio is combining multiple asset classes in which each produces a positive long-term return, without being highly correlated. This can produce more consistent longer-term returns…while offering a lower overall…

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Things To Consider When Prioritizing Your Debts


People can find themselves under a pile of debt for a variety of reasons. Sometimes we fall upon hard times due to a set of unfortunate circumstances beyond our control. Other times we may have simply lived irresponsibly for periods in our life and not given enough consideration to the long-term implications of our actions….

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Finding Opportunities To Invest In Business Development Companies


In 1980 an amendment to the Investment Company Act of 1940 permitted publicly traded investment companies to register as Business Development Companies (BDC). BDCs are similar to Private Equity Companies and Venture Capital funds in that they invest in startup entities as well as established small and mid-sized businesses. The key difference with a BDC…

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A Guide To Understanding Long-term Disability Insurance


Many of us do not always recognize the potential danger of becoming permanently disabled. The U.S. Census says that you have about a 1 out of 5 chance of becoming disabled for at least some period of time. The average duration for a long term disability (LTD) is about a two-and-a-half-year absence from employment. Long…

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