Posts by Susannah Snider, CFP®
Financial Advisor
Ask an Advisor: Should a Financial Advisor Ask for My Risk Tolerance or Use Their Own ‘Proven’ Investment Strategy?
Should a financial advisor ask me for my risk tolerance, then invest accordingly? Or do they use their own proven strategy? -Chris This question sets up a false dichotomy. These risk-related investing considerations are not mutually exclusive. Many financial advisors… Read more…
Data Studies
Financial Advisors Reveal How Investors Should Prepare for Potential U.S. Debt Default – 2023 Survey
If Congress doesn’t opt to raise or extend the nation’s debt limit, the United States may run out of the money needed to pay its bills. With this deadline approaching as early as June 1, SmartAsset asked financial advisors what they think will happen if the U.S. defaults and what they recommend clients do to prepare For… Read more…
Financial Advisor
Ask an Advisor: ‘Am I Too Late?’ I’m 68, Have No Investments and Only Have $60K Saved
At 68, I do not have any investments of any kind. My $80,000 condo is paid off, and I have $60,000 saved. Am I too late? -Bernhard It’s never too late to start investing and managing your money. But I… Read more…
Financial Advisor
Ask an Advisor: I Want to Roll Over My Money to a Roth IRA. How Do I Avoid Paying Taxes?
If I have a tax-deferred 401(k). Can I convert it to a Roth IRA without paying the deferred taxes when I roll it over? -Tommy Generally, the answer here is no. There’s typically no method to totally dodge taxes on… Read more…
Financial Advisor
Ask an Advisor: I Don’t Need Them ‘Dumped Into My Checking Account.’ What Can I Do With RMDs?
I am approaching the time when I’ll take required minimum distributions (RMDs) from my individual retirement account (IRA). I am in a quandary about what I can do with this anticipated largesse of cash. I do not necessarily need the… Read more…
Financial Advisor
Ask an Advisor: ‘I’m Depending on That Money.’ How Can I Plan to Retire When Republicans Are Threatening to Cut Social Security?
How can I plan to retire fully when the Republicans are threatening to cut Social Security? I’m almost 73, still working part-time and I’ve paid into Social Security my entire life. I’m depending on that money! -Karen Social Security benefits… Read more…
Data Studies
These Charts Show Why You Shouldn’t Retire in a Down Market – 2023 Study
When it comes to retirement, timing is everything. And for retirees, good timing doesn’t just have to do with threading the needle on Social Security start dates or savvily initiating required minimum distributions (RMDs). It also has to do with… Read more…
Advisor Resources
Brokers, Take Notice: Industry Watchdogs Eye Reg BI Compliance
Financial professionals recently received a reminder that industry overseers are closely monitoring how firms are implementing standards and practices under Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI). In mid-January, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) issued an annual report that, among other… Read more…
Data Studies
More Than 60% of Advisors Regularly Attend Conferences. Here Are the Most Popular Events for 2023
In 2023, financial advisors are dusting off their blazers, slapping on fresh name tags and marching back to conferences and professional events. The return to air-conditioned conference rooms and fluorescent-lit exhibitor halls comes three years after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted professional conferences and events across industries. This year, however, advisors plan to attend old standbys… Read more…
Advisor Resources
Ask an Advisor: I Have a ‘Solid Understanding’ of Investment Strategies. So Why Should I Pay 1% to a Financial Advisor?
Is it worth paying a financial advisor to manage retirement funds if you are confident in your own financial investment strategies? I feel like I have a solid understanding of long-term investment strategies. And as such, I feel the roughly… Read more…