The Rule of 55, Rule 72(t), and Retiring Early
What's the #1 thing people know about retirement accounts? They are good for your taxes, but they lock your money up until you are 59½. This is generally…
Tag
Personal Finance
Robo-Advisor Clients Should Worry About Synapse
Last year, a fintech company called Synpase went bankrupt, affecting bank accounts of over 100,000 clients. This bankruptcy sent shockwaves through the…
TreasuryDirect is My Favorite Way to Buy Bonds
I love TreasuryDirect! It's a free site run by the US Government to allow people to buy US debt. I don't think there's any other situation in which an…
Questions You Should Ask Your Financial Adviser
Working with a financial advisor can be one of the most important decisions you make for your financial future. A good advisor acts as a trusted guide,…
Do an IRA Rollover After Leaving Your Job
I often encounter questions about the best strategies for managing retirement savings. One common query is whether employees should transfer their 401(k)…
Is the S&P500 Index Actually Diversified?
The S&P 500 index, a widely followed benchmark of the U.S. stock market, has long been considered a reliable indicator of the overall health of the…
Backdoor Roth IRA Strategies
For many individuals, saving for retirement is a top priority. One popular savings vehicle is the Roth IRA, known for its tax-free growth and withdrawals.…
Investment Accounts for Children
I frequently get asked about investment options that parents can establish for their children. It’s an important question, and there are several options…
Five Reasons to not Panic in a Bear Market
2022 has been an extremely bad year for almost every asset class! Stocks and bonds have suffered large losses. And inflation has been high, further…
Critical Flaws in Binance and Other Crypto Exchanges
For most of 2022, financial news has been filled with stories about big losses across all asset classes. But one of the biggest losers has been…
My Favorite Financial Sites
A quick list of my favorite financial sites and what I use them for. It's a fairly short list, because most financial sites are harmful.
RMDs: Required Minimum Distributions
Do you have money invested in a retirement account? If so, you may be responsible for taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) every year to avoid IRS…
Should I Buy A New Car?
For several years, I've been thinking about buying a car. This is a big deal for me, because I have owned exactly one vehicle in my life, a 2004 Ford…
Seven Layers of Investor Protection at Luther Wealth
Investor protection is probably the 1 thing I spend time thinking about at Luther Wealth. As an independent financial adviser, it can be tough for a…
Please Don't Buy Penny Stocks
I can't think of a worse investment than penny stocks. Maybe a Ponzi Scheme is worse? Debatable. Penny stocks seem to be gaining popularity as a water…
What Happens At Your First Financial Adviser Meeting?
So, you've done your homework, you've researched financial advisers, you've been reading the LWM blog, and you've made the decision to call up Luther…
Personal Finance Basics
The past 50 years have seen incredible advances in investment accessibility for average Americans. With the development of simple indexed mutual funds in…