James C. Molet's Blog, page 40

A SavvyInterview – Jim

Jim Poolman is Executive Director of the Indexed Annuity Leadership Council, a consortium of life insurance organizations that provides complete and factual information about fixed indexed annuities. He previously served two terms as North Dakota’s Insurance Commissioner, working to strengthen laws to protect citizens against insurance fraud, and served four terms in the North Dakota... Read Article →

Pre-Retirement Planning

There are those who never plan to retire (a mistake), and there are those who plan on working part-time in retirement (an oxymoronic phrase in my mind), and of course there are those, like me, who embrace the traditional definition of retirement. That traditional view means you want to walk away completely from the workforce... Read Article →

Equity

Movie: Equity (2016). This recommendation is unlike any I’ve made in the past. That’s because the movie has yet to be released. In fact, its nationwide
 release is not until September 2nd. Therefore, my request is that if you’ve
 seen this movie – it is currently being shown in limited release in some
 cities and has probably been... Read Article →

The Third Rail of Politics

The following is a guest post by Kevin Driscoll, the VP of Advisory Services at Navy Federal Financial Group. Social Security has long been considered the third rail of politics – an untouchable policy issue. When President Bush grappled with it during his 2004 reelection campaign and launched an initiative to create personal Social Security “nest eggs”... Read Article →

Software for Home Automation

The development of software applications is gaining speed. People learn to benefit from the technological advancements that impact all spheres of activities from business to entertainment and into our homes. Software developers in the United Kingdom and all over the world are creating apps for business management which help to organise the workflow and increase... Read Article →

Five Tips That Can Help Your Retirement Savings

Most Americans know they need to save more for retirement. But most Americans aren’t doing it. Just how bad off are some of them? A study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that about half of households 55 and older had no retirement savings at all. A Retirement Disaster Clearly, many Americans could be headed for... Read Article →

A Look at the Original Underclass

Waste people. Rubbish. Clay-eaters. Hillbillies. Two new books, White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg, a provocative, deeply researched history; and Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance, an affecting memoir, are well timed to help make better sense of the plight of struggling whites in... Read Article →

Technology Review: Amazon Tap

I’m a big fan of the idea of a smart home. Utilizing technology in my living space to manage lighting & energy, for monitoring & security, for convenience, and for entertainment appeals to both the geek and savvy consumer within me. Into my home, which is slowly getting smarter, I recently welcomed the Amazon Tap. The... Read Article →

The High Cost of 401(k) Fees

Rightfully so, savvy investors pay close attention to their 401(k) fees. Average, every day 401(k) plans typically charge 1% or more of assets managed. Over the course of a working lifetime, this can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. One of my favorite television documentaries, The Retirement Gamble, presented by PBS on their excellent show, Frontline, notes... Read Article →

A SavvyInterview – Opendoor

For most people, their home is their largest asset. Perhaps not coincidentally, it is also the most difficult to sell. The inability to sell your home when you’re ready to relocate, or downsize in preparation for retirement, can be frustrating. One company looking to disrupt the market and offer a different approach is Opendoor. I recently spoke with... Read Article →