Newsletters
Forty-three percent of Americans spent more time planning their most recent vacation than planning for their retirement.1
Will you outlive your retirement income? How much liability insurance should you have? Should you add stocks to your portfolio? Are your financial expectations for the coming year realistic?
Our financial newsletters are designed to provide helpful information on a wide variety of financial topics. Simply click on one of the newsletter topics below to read the article in its entirety.
Before implementing any strategy discussed herein, you should consult with your own financial, tax, and/or legal advisors to determine its applicability in light of your own situation.
Most insurance policies and annuity contracts contain exclusions, limitations, reductions of benefits, surrender charges and terms for keeping them in force. Your representative can provide you with costs and complete details.
Pursuant to IRS Circular 230, New England Financial is providing you with the following notification: The information contained in this newsletter is not intended to (and cannot) be used by anyone to avoid IRS penalties. This newsletter supports the promotion of New England Financial products and services. You should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. Neither New England Financial nor their representatives or agents are permitted to give legal or tax advice. Any discussion of taxes included in or related to this document is for general informational purposes only. Such discussion does not purport to be complete or to cover every situation. Current tax law is subject to interpretation and legislative change. Tax results and the appropriateness of any product for any specific taxpayer may vary depending on the particular set of circumstances. You should consult with and rely on your own independent legal and tax advisors.
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February
Are You Making These Cash Mistakes?
With interest rates at historic lows, what should you do with the money you save?
Tips for Healthy Life Insurance
If you are about to retire or have recently entered retirement, it's a good time to consider whether your current life insurance policy meets your needs.
What Does a Fed Chairman Do?
The Federal Reserve plays an important role in our economy, and the chairman is its most visible player. His behavior is a good source of clues about what the future may hold.
Don't Forget the World
If your portfolio doesn't include some global equities, it may be missing a key dimension.
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January
Are Target-Date Funds Off Target?
Target-date funds are not for everyone, so it's important to gather all the facts.
The Benefits of Social Security
Take this quiz to assess how much you know about Social Security benefits.
Love and Marriage and Retirement
More than 80% of married couples 45 to 72 say they don't agree on when they should retire, what their retirement lifestyle should look like, or whether they will work in retirement.
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December
An Extra Layer of Protection
Umbrella liability insurance can help protect a family from the financial ruin that a civil liability trial could bring.
Getting the Right Mix
Asset allocation is the process of dividing investment dollars among asset classes that often behave differently in different market cycles.
New Year: Check and (Re)balance
Even if people have become jaded about making new year's resolutions, it shouldn't stop them from doing what they need to do to accomplish their financial goals.
Mark Your Calendar
Once we approach the end of our working years, birthdays take on a renewed importance.
Ready or Not, You're Retired!
In 2009, 47% of retirees left the workforce earlier than they expected.
Quick Facts - December 2009
Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets
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November
Confident in Consumer Confidence?
The consumer confidence index can be a useful tool, but it should play only a minor role in an investor’s overall outlook.
Playing Catch-Up with Contributions
Something as simple as increasing your contributions to tax-advantaged retirement programs can go a long way toward helping you pursue your long-term financial goals.
Measuring the Jobs Situation
Many people understand that a rising jobless rate is one of the hallmarks of a shrinking economy. But the national unemployment rate does not always reveal a complete picture of the jobs outlook.
Quick Facts - November 2009
Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets
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October
Making Moves to the Money Market
Money market funds are mutual funds that invest solely in cash-equivalent assets that are categorized as low-risk, low-return investments.
Fixed Annuities May Offer Stability
A source of guaranteed income may help remove some of the uncertainty associated with retiring when the financial markets are fluctuating.
Get Ready for Earnings Season
Earnings can provide a key to understanding the performance of an individual company and the behavior of the stock market in general.
Quick Facts - October 2009
Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets
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September
A New Way to Diversify
Exchange-traded funds are unique investments that resemble mutual funds in some ways and behave like stock in other ways.
Insurance for Your Whole Life
If your situation calls for life insurance coverage that extends beyond your working years, it might be time to consider whether permanent life insurance would be appropriate.
A Long Look at the National Debt
To better comprehend the size and scope of the national debt, it helps to measure it against the size of the overall economy.
Quick Facts - September 2009
Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets
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August
The Long Road Ahead
The stock market has had its share of roller-coaster thrills lately, but don’t be tempted to react emotionally.
Note to Self: Check Beneficiary Designations
Outdated beneficiary forms have the potential to cause needless grief and hardship for surviving loved ones who are your intended heirs.
Still Time for Stimulus Benefits
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 offers some short-term tax benefits designed to encourage consumer activity and boost particular sectors of the economy.
Quick Facts - August 2009
Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets
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July
Get Your Retirement Reality Check
A retirement needs-calculation goes beyond the commonly suggested target to have 70% of pre-retirement income.
Higher Education Pays, But So Will You
It’s likely that admission to the nation’s top colleges and universities will remain competitive, but adequate college savings can help ensure that a student’s opportunity to attend his or her school of choice is not compromised by the lack of resources.
It's Not Too Late to Consider Life Insurance
Results from one survey suggest that confidence in financial security tends to increase as life insurance coverage increases.
Good Care Begins Early
Ironically, people who avoid important discussions because they don’t want to be a burden are sowing seeds for even greater troubles because they are forestalling preparation and ignoring the risks associated with aging, possibly until it’s too late.
Quick Facts - July 2009
Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets
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June
Estate of Emergency?
To help ensure that an estate is distributed according to one's wishes, it’s important to have certain legal documents in place.
It's Time to Get Real
During times of market volatility, it can be easy for investors to lose sight of two seemingly immovable obstacles standing in the way of their long-term investment goals: taxes and inflation.
Inflation Goes to College
Over the past 10 years, tuition and fees have grown more than 4% faster than the rate of general inflation at public four-year colleges and more than 2% faster than inflation at private four-year colleges.
Quick Facts - June 2009
Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets
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May
Celebrate Life and the Benefits of Insuring It
In addition to the protection it can bring, life insurance can also offer some tax benefits.
A Question of Identity
Not only is identity theft costly, it can also be a major hassle that affects a person’s credit score for years. The key to preventing ID theft is awareness.
Recapping Market Capitalization
The blurring of lines between large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap companies is an indication that it may be time to evaluate whether your portfolio holdings have shifted toward or away from your investment objectives.
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April
Never Too Old—or Too Rich—to Consider Life Insurance
There are many possible reasons to consider owning life insurance, even if you have convinced yourself that it's no longer necessary in your situation.
Avoid the Timing Trap
Market timing is a risky approach that could have a significant effect on a portfolio’s long-term performance.
Income Now or Later
Immediate and deferred fixed annuities are insurance products that could help retirees safeguard some of their nest eggs and provide a steady income stream throughout retirement.
Defend Your Retirement from Inflation
Over long periods, inflation can pose a significant threat to quality of life for retirees, primarily because it reduces the purchasing power of their retirement incomes.
Separate Your Business from Your Portfolio
Allocating too much of your investment capital to one company — even your own — is a risky proposition.