Money
The Fed's Great Unwind and Your Portfolio
From Stephen Clifford, Registered Investment Advisor Representative
The Winfield Group - Scottsdale, Arizona
After more than five years of unprecedented support for the economy, the Federal Reserve Board has begun to reduce its purchases of bonds. And though the Fed has said interest rates may stay low even after unemployment has fallen to 6.5%, higher rates increasingly seem to be a question of timing. Both of those actions can affect your portfolio.
Will Rising Interest Rates Impact My Pension Benefits?
From Stephen Clifford, Registered Investment Advisor Representative
The Winfield Group - Scottsdale, Arizona
If you're nearing retirement and plan to elect lifetime payments from your pension plan, rising interest rates won't have any impact on your benefits. But if you're considering a lump-sum payment, rising interest rates can be critical.
Test Your Knowledge of Financial Basics
From Stephen Clifford, Registered Investment Advisor Representative
The Winfield Group - Scottsdale, Arizona
Working with a trusted financial professional is one of the best ways to help improve your overall financial situation, but it's not the only thing you can do. Educating yourself about personal finance concepts can help you better understand your advisor's recommendations, and result in more productive and potentially more prosperous financial planning discussions. Take this brief quiz to see how well you understand a few of the basics.
Business Owners: Don't Neglect Your Own Retirement Plan
From Stephen Clifford, Registered Investment Advisor Representative
The Winfield Group - Scottsdale, Arizona
If you're like many small business owners, you pour your heart, soul, and nearly all your money into your business. When it comes to retirement planning, your strategy might be crossing your fingers and hoping your business will provide the nest egg you'll need to live comfortably. But relying on a business to fund retirement can be a very risky proposition. What if you become ill and have to sell it early? Or what if your business experiences setbacks just before your planned retirement date?
What Baseball Can Teach You about Financial Planning
From Stephen Clifford, Registered Investment Advisor Representative
The Winfield Group - Scottsdale, Arizona
Spring training is a tradition that baseball teams and baseball fans look forward to every year. No matter how they did last year, teams in spring training are full of hope that a new season will bring a fresh start. As this year's baseball season gets under way, here are a few lessons from America's pastime that might help you reevaluate your finances. Sometimes you need to proceed one base at a time.