Money Talk: Growth Requires Accepting Some Risk
Question: What is the best way to protect my 401(k) now and in the future when I draw from it for retirement? What is the least risky place to “bank it”? I have a fear of a crashing stock market in the middle of my retirement years. Answer: The bigger risk is that the stock market will crash early in your retirement years. Starting withdrawals from a shrunken pool can dramatically increase the odds of running short of money in your...
Money Talk: Explaining the End of ‘File and Suspend’
Dear Readers: Congress just killed the Social Security strategy known as “claim now, claim more later” that allowed married couples to boost their benefits by tens of thousands of dollars. The changes, which were part of the recent budget deal, also eliminated the option of getting a lump-sum payout if you suspended an application for benefits and later changed your mind. Today’s column will focus on those changes. Question: My...
Storybook Ending at Risk in Hanover
Hanover — After 15 years on Lebanon Street, Pig and Wolf, the anthropomorphic statues that schoolteacher Bill Hammond brought to life in 2001, may soon have to find a new home. Hammond is advertising his 53 Lebanon St. property for sale by owner, leaving uncertain the fate of Hanover’s landmark animal pair. If new owners are amenable, he said, the figures may continue to reside on one of the town’s main corridors, where commuters,...
8 Signs of Credit Problems
Credit troubles often begin inconspicuously, yet there are signs all along the way before these troubles become unmanageable. Being alert to these warnings allows you to make the necessary changes to prevent a future of financial worries. Having a credit card isn’t bad when you use it for the right reasons. It serves as a bridge to better things and establishes a credit history, which helps you make big purchases such as a home or a...
