Survival in an Indifferent Universe

#cancer #grief #disaster #god #tragedy My  mother, my sister-in-law, my best friend, and my ex-wife died of cancer. Universe Cancer is evil. Like anything else, it wants to thrive. Growth, normally, is regarded as a good. Cancer is uncontrolled growth. It thrives by destroying the cells that support life, love, and thought. Nothing continues to…

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Variable Annuities Insure Beneficiaries Against Loss Due to Market Risk

This is the second in a series of articles that I am writing on variable annuities. Readers are urged to read the first installment before tackling the one that follows. My initial article about variable annuities stressed: Financial advisers have strong incentives to sell variable annuities as they pay more in commissions than most other…

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The Best Time to Buy or Sell in the Stock Market.

As a retired financial advisor, the question that I am asked most often is, “Is it safe now to get into the stock market?” I answer, “No. It’s never safe to get into the market.” When the market is falling, I hear, “Do you think I should get out?” Again, “No.” Investing isn’t like swimming…

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Variable Annuities — Great, But Be Careful

If you have researched variable annuities on your own, you know that I couldn’t cover everything in one blog on the subject. Variable annuities have their drawbacks. It is important to be aware of them. A variable annuity is a long-term investment, one that you will want to hold your entire lifetime. It’s the place…

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Vairable Annuities — A Great Way to Protect a Retirement Portfolio

Thanks for all the questions about annuities. Yes, annuities are a valuable way to protect your retirement portfolio and secure an income for your survivors. But there are several things to be considered before buying one. There are two kinds of annuities; fixed and variable. Fixed annuities guarantee income to the owner and often the…

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401k or 403b, Rollover to an IRA or IRRA. Good Idea?

#401(k)  #403(b)  #rollover  #ira One of the first questions that you will face as a new retiree or after changing jobs is what to do with your 401k or 403b* retirement account that has been building up over the years. Leaving it with your former employer is usually one option, and it may appear attractive…

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Pricing Your Self-Published Masterpiece. Caveat Emptor!

When first asked how much royalty I wanted from my novel, Deadly Portfolio: A Killing in Hedge Funds, my only thought was keeping the costs as low as possible. Outskirts Press, the publisher, recommended a price of $18.95 for the 328-page paperback. I objected. The price was too high for the market. Outskirts replied that…

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