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Along with fund performance and risk ratios, expense ratios are a critical factor in determining the potential of funds to outperform the indexes and their peers, but they are easily overshadowed by robust returns in strong markets.  Now that the market is settling in, and fund returns are reaching relative parity with the market, expense ratios become even more important.

The need for retirement planning didn’t really exist until well into the 1970s. Up to that point, people worked until age 65, spent a few years in leisure through their life expectancy which was about 69. Many retirees of that era were able to coast into retirement with a cushy pension plan.

Warren Buffet has made no secret of his successful investing strategy. “Buy into fear” he says, “Buy when everyone else is selling”. For most, average investors that may be much easier said than done. Perhaps if we all had a few billion dollars in the bank, we might be able to muster up more courage and take some more risks.

At a time when many Baby Boomers are approaching their retirement years with grave concerns over their income sources, the late night pitches for reverse mortgages may look quite appealing to some. As with any financial strategy, especially those that involve the equity in your home, they should be carefully weighed against your needs, concerns, and priorities.

If you listen to any of the world’s leading investors they will tell you that nothing is more important to long-term investment success than a clear investment philosophy. More important than a sound investment strategy? Yes, they will tell you, because strategy, while important, is nothing more than a manifestation of an investment philosophy.

One of the advantages of running your own business from your home is that you get to be yourself all of the time. But, it is important that you don’t lose sight of the fact that you are also a business. That fact is not lost on the IRS who takes a special interest in home-based businesses and their profits and losses.

With more than 10,000 Baby Boomers crossing the retirement threshold every day, the Social Security check writing machine has kicked into overdrive.

The decision to buy life insurance is one of the most important a person can make in their financial lives, and buying a life insurance policy can be one of the more difficult things a person does. Why? Because life insurance is a complex financial instrument full of many different moving parts that people need to be able to understand.

Perhaps the most important factor in formulating your investment plan is your risk tolerance; that is, the amount of risk you’re willing to assume in order to achieve your most important objectives.

401(k) plans were established by Congress to encourage individual savings towards retirement. Offered through employers, the plans are generally available to eligible employees who are allowed to contribute a percent of their salary to the plan.