Blogs

In the world of investing, the stock market has always been ruled by two very intimidating and unpredictable animals prone to emotional outbursts and a distrust of people, especially those wearing a red cape or carrying a pot of honey. This is the awesome power of bulls and bears. But when it comes to investing, there’s no reason to fear them. They simply represent the two major twists and turns of the stock market over time. Understanding what they are and keeping history in perspective are keys to being a confident and successful investor. This is Bull A bull market is a period when the...

Your 401(k) Offers You Valuable Benefits You Just Can’t Find Anywhere In the midst of economic adversity, market volatility, geopolitical uncertainty and a host of other things (including a still-active pandemic, now in its third year), it can be hard to find a silver lining. However, there is one thing that keeps showing you some love every day – your 401(k)! Here are some tips to remind you why you got together in the first place – and help keep the romance alive. Your Savings are Automatic With your 401(k), you’re following the core financial planning principle of “pay yourself first.”...

Follow these three tips to help reach a state of happiness on a daily basis. Do you find that happiness is hard to come by on some days? With all the challenges of the past year, it’s sometimes just easier to find imperfections in everything and let crankiness rule your day. However, if you want to boost your mood and positivity, here are three things you can do to help find your happy place. “There is no key to happiness; the door is always open.” — Mother Teresa Get Moving If you find yourself grappling with negative thoughts and emotions, getting outdoors and exercising regularly can boost...

Master these Social Security lessons to get a more realistic view of your retirement. According to Nationwide’s 8th Annual Social Security Consumer Survey, more than half of Americans express confidence that they know exactly how to optimize their Social Security benefits. However, only 6% actually understand all the factors that determine the maximum benefit someone can receive. In addition, the report highlighted additional knowledge gaps: A full 39% don’t know at what age they are eligible to receive their full benefits. Just over half (51%) do not have a clear understanding of how much...

Knowing the different types of investment risk can help you cope with market volatility. When was the last time you checked your retirement plan balance? If your balance was less than it was the last time you checked, you probably felt a bit of pain. Everybody does. Where exactly does that pain come from? It’s called risk, and all investments involve some degree of risk. In finance speak, risk refers to the degree of uncertainty and/or potential financial loss inherent in an investment decision. In general, as investment risks rise, investors seek higher returns to compensate themselves for...