Real Money Pros
Articles
Dive deeper into retirement planning and other topics.
Your Portfolio May Be Less Diversified Than You Think
Why the number of funds you own doesn’t always tell you how diversified your investments really are. Imagine opening your retirement account and seeing three investments: an S&P 500 index fund, a total U.S. stock market fund, and a large-cap growth fund. Different names, different strategies, and potentially hundreds or even thousands of stocks represented…
Asset Location: Why Where You Hold Your Investments Matters
Investors spend a great deal of time deciding what to own. Which funds should make up the portfolio? How much should be allocated to stocks versus bonds? Should international markets play a larger role? Is there enough diversification? Are investment costs reasonable? Those are important questions. But as wealth accumulates across different types of accounts,…
A Retirement Projection Is Not a Retirement Plan
Retirement calculators have become one of the most common tools investors use to gauge their readiness for retirement. Enter a few assumptions, estimate future spending, click a button, and receive a probability of success. For many people, that number becomes a source of confidence. If the projection says the plan works, retirement feels achievable. If…
Locking Up Your Money for “Guaranteed Income”
For many retirees, the idea of guaranteed income is appealing. After years of saving and investing, the goal often shifts from growth to stability. Turning a portion of your portfolio into a predictable, steady paycheck can feel like the natural next step. And in some cases, it is, but what often gets overlooked is what…
Turning Your HSA Into a Tax-Free Income Tool
Most people are familiar with the basic benefits of a Health Savings Account (HSA). Contributions may be tax-deductible, the assets can grow without current taxation, and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are generally tax-free. That combination alone makes the HSA one of the more tax-efficient accounts available. However, the way the account is used over…
Tax Strategies Investors Often Miss During Market Downturns
Market downturns usually trigger the same reaction. People look at their accounts, see things down, and immediately shift into defense mode—cut risk, wait it out, or just hope things recover. That instinct makes sense. But for investors with more substantial portfolios, that’s only part of the picture. What often gets missed is that volatility doesn’t…
BetterBuckets™ Assessment
Learn wealth management strategies based on your financial situation.
