CIF Blog

Shame On Rick For Disparaging The BYOB Scheme

bcarnduf — Wed, 22 May 2013 01:38:39 +0000

ou can go to the bank on this: every time I write something negative on any insurance product the proponents of these products come out of the woodwork, kicking and screaming. My recent article on the Be Your Own Bank (BYOB) scheme didn’t sit well with Clark Sowers, Belle Fourche, SD, who wrote a letter …

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Client-Focused Financial Planning Addresses Money and Emotions

bcarnduf — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:22:57 +0000

Anyone who sent a check to the IRS this month certainly doesn’t need to be convinced that there is a relationship between money and feelings. I can personally attest that paying a hefty tax brings up a great deal of painful emotion. The case for the union of money and …

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Uncovered Reverse Mortgage Risks

bcarnduf — Tue, 21 May 2013 01:22:26 +0000

If you are retired you are probably sick of having to deal with a higher cost of living and lower returns on your fixed income investments. In that case, a reverse mortgage might look good to you. Indeed, it might make sense in a few cases. But it can introduce …

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New York Life cuts initial deposit for annuity to attract youth – InvestmentNews

bcarnduf — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:14:45 +0000

New York Life has lowered the initial deposit required to obtain a deferred-income annuity from $10,000 to $5,000 in hopes of attracting younger investors. The question is, should young investors care? I spoke with Darla Mercado, a reporter with InvestmentNews, about these recent changes. Except in very rare cases, most …

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Singles swing into retirement with little savings

bcarnduf — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:37:14 +0000

If you think it’s hard saving for retirement as a couple, trying doing it as a single. According to a study—described by one expert as the most intriguing of 2012—the amount of money singles in their late 60s have saved up for retirement is dramatically less than that of married-couple …

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Diversification of a Portfolio Done Right

bcarnduf — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:47:14 +0000

Proper diversification of a portfolio can easily trip you up. At the basic level, this is applying the concept of not putting all your (financial) eggs in one basket. Pretty easy. But to really get this right, you have to dig a bit deeper I know that you are probably …

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The Best 37 Books For Entrepreneurs That Kick Serious Butt

bcarnduf — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:32:32 +0000

If you have any inkling of wanting to become an entrepreneur, then you should be doing one simple thing. What’s the simple thing? Reading. Reading is said to be the spark behind creative thinking, and is one of the most predominate traits of individuals said to pertain a level of …

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Mission Possible: Paying off $84,000 of Debt in 4 Years

bcarnduf — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:47:48 +0000

The next credit card statement arrives in your mailbox and you get sick knowing what’s inside. You begin to ask yourself when you let it all slip away. You used to have control of your finances, but something bad happened. Something terribly wrong. All those innocent purchases and false reassurances …

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Proposed Cap on IRAs Would Touch Middle Class

bcarnduf — Tue, 14 May 2013 02:09:57 +0000

“Max out your retirement plans every year” has long been standard advice I’ve given to working adults who want to secure a reliable income when they retire. Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), along with 401(k), 403(b), and profit sharing plans offered by some employers, are among the most accessible ways for …

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How Much More is Life Insurance for Smokers?

bcarnduf — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:44:15 +0000

When I tell people that I used to smoke, they are completely shocked. Being a health nut and Crossfitter, that’s the last thing that people would expect that I would do. To my defense, it was during a stressful time in my life. While I was deployed to Iraq I …

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