How To Get Out of an Annuity Transaction
Signing papers for an annuity does not mean the purchase is final. First let me say this: Annuities have gotten a lot of negative press over the last fifteen years and it is not necessarily deserved. All annuity transactions are not bad. A good family friend illustrates this. She bought a lump-sum immediate annuity. This …
Increase Security with a Banking-Only Computer
Caution is needed when using the Internet to access financial accounts. Modern technology has made banking easier than ever. But there are people all over the world who try to steal using that same technology. By now most of us have had our email account hacked. Something like that is more of a nuisance than …
The Psychology of Selling at the Top
Selling after you have made money is more difficult than it sounds. Once an investment runs up there is a decision to make. Then you have to let go. The decision basically boils down to one thing: do you think the investment is still a good one? Earlier this year I sold Walgreens stock (Nasdaq: …
Life is Easier when you Pay Your Taxes
Always make sure to file a complete return on time and settle the balance due. I don’t say this because I am a fan of taxation. It is simply better than the alternative. Investors need to be aware: your brokerage firm sends records of every taxable event to the IRS. Until recently this did not …
The Time to Buy: When Everyone Else is Selling
Panic produces great investment opportunities. As a general rule trying to time the market is not good strategy. But witnessing calamity is an exception. I will illustrate with two personal examples. First let’s look at the September 11th attacks. The NYSE was closed for four days following this tragedy. The same was true of NASDAQ. …