In recent years, the markets, the economy and the global political scene have evolved considerably. We’ve witnessed both remarkable volatility and remarkable resilience in these areas. The reality is that less predictability in today’s economic landscape requires more vigilant risk diversification, coupled with the ability to adapt to a fast-changing environment.1 We work with our…

How old do you have to be before you’re considered “old”? This number may change depending on the age of the person making the assessment. For example, a child or a teenager might think someone age 40 is old. That view is less likely to be held by a 39-year-old. History indicates you have to…

While Social Security shouldn’t be relied upon to be the sole source of income during retirement, it can play an important role in your overall retirement income strategy. But making sense of the basic ins and outs of Social Security can be overwhelming. Here are three questions people commonly ask as they approach retirement age:…

Traditional vacation prep used to entail choosing a budget destination, buying some traveler’s checks and heading to the airport just in time for your flight. For many, that list of things to do has changed drastically. “Wellness travel” has become a big draw for vacationers who are willing to spend around 140 percent more than…

The White House recently introduced what it billed the “biggest tax cut” in U.S. history. While a presidential tax proposal is not likely to get passed without significant changes, the fact that Republicans dominate both chambers of Congress suggests 2017 may well be a year in which significant tax reform is engineered.1 One thing should…

You’ve likely heard a few clichés when it comes to investing: stay the course; buy right and hold tight; time is more valuable than money; etc. The point is clear, if your investments align with your goals, timeline and risk tolerance, then there may be no reason to make changes to your portfolio when the…

Yogi Berra once said, “You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.”1 When it comes to retirement, plenty of people get there — but it may not be what they expected because they either didn’t plan, or their financial strategy didn’t help keep…

For every five years longer a retiree lives, he or she spends about 15 percent less on average. This means that people in their 70s spend about half of what they do in their 50s. Even with the ramp-up in medical expenses that often comes later in life, retirees still tend to spend less as…

Every year, the World Economic Forum updates its Global Gender Gap Report, which measures gender disparity across 144 countries and tracks this progress over time. The report pays special attention to the gaps between women and men with regard to health, education, economy and politics.1 Although the corporate “glass ceiling” has been broken by a…

Life has its highs and lows. Sometimes when we go for a long stretch — everybody in the family is healthy, finances are on track, you’re enjoying yourself — we get that nagging feeling that our good fortune just can’t last. Often, that’s true. There’s inevitably a repair needed on your car, an appliance breaks…