Retirement Myths and Realities
August 5, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

We all have some preconceived notions about what retirement will be like. But how do those notions compare with the reality of retirement? Here are four common retirement myths to consider. 1. My retirement won’t last that long The good…Read More

GAO Report Reveals Why People Claim Social Security Benefits Early
July 29, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

Why would people choose to claim Social Security retirement benefits at the earliest possible age of 62, rather than waiting until their full retirement age (66 to 67 for anyone born in 1943 or later), when doing so would reduce…Read More

Longevity Income Annuities
July 21, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

With luck, many of us can expect to live to a very ripe old age. Are you prepared, however, for the financial implications of that possibility? Today, individuals contemplating retirement frequently face the fact that the financial costs associated with…Read More

A View of Health Care from Around the World
July 18, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

The United States health-care system has been impacted by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But how does delivery of health care in the United States compare to that of other nations? And where does the United States rank with respect…Read More

Expansion of Pay As You Earn Program for Student Loans
June 18, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, outstanding student loan debt climbed by $114 billion in 2013, reaching $1.08 trillion at the end of the year (Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Quarterly Report on Household Debt and…Read More

Are con artists adopting trendy twists on old scams?
June 17, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

In a word, yes. You may be great at deleting e-mails from Nigerian princes to avoid online phishing, but fraudsters keep coming up with new schemes for prying information or money from potential victims. And while scams sometimes involve hot…Read More

Personal Finance Tips for New Graduates
June 13, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

You’ve marched along to Pomp and Circumstance and collected your diploma–now you’re ready to finally head out on your own. Maybe you have student loans that you need to start paying back. Perhaps you’re looking forward to making your first car purchase…Read More

Why News Headlines Drive Investment Behavior
June 11, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

The following is an excerpt from an article recently written by Jim Parker of Dimensional Fund Advisors. He examines the human instinct to link recent global news events to stock market performance. Understanding how our brains are wired can make…Read More

High-Frequency Trading: Unsafe at Any Speed?
June 6, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

You may have heard news reports recently about the controversy on Wall Street over high-frequency trading. Though the practice isn’t new, it has received fresh attention in recent months as multiple regulatory agencies have launched investigations of high-frequency trading (HFT)…Read More

Highlights from PIMCO Lunch-and-Learn
June 5, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

We held an educational lunch seminar on June 4th, hosted by PIMCO, and the responses from those who attended have been very positive. We plan on providing more of these in the future for small groups. Here are some highlights……Read More