Greetings from Deer Valley, Utah. This picture of Becky and me was taken from the chairlift at Deer Valley. We were there in early March and I think we were smiling because it was the first time we saw the sun. It was a snowy trip to say the least, where it felt like you were skiing inside a snow globe. Most of our trip was spent skiing Park City and the Canyons. We stayed in the Silver Star area, with a chairlift and café by the same name that made it feel like your own resort within a gigantic resort. Getting to Park City is a piece of cake. We took a late afternoon flight out of … [Read more...]

With tax season here, it's helpful to examine your own tax situation and understand the alternatives. Read this post I wrote on July 5, 2018 for guidance.  As Americans near retirement, they are always looking for ways to maximize their savings. At the top of the list of options is avoiding punitive taxation at all levels. There isn't much most people can do about federal taxes (other than vote), but Americans are gifted with a choice of 50 states and a handful of territories from which to choose where to live. I have been encouraging Americans to explore their options when it comes to … [Read more...]

I've discussed before the threat of working in "retirement" involuntarily because you haven't saved enough, and must rejoin the workforce to make ends meet. (Read Part I, II, III, and IV of my series on How Many “Retirees” Will Keep Working?). Working through your golden years because you can't afford to stop is an unfortunate reality for too many Americans, but there are some people who, for reasons beyond finances, may find working past retirement age beneficial. Some people enjoy the routine and the social interaction of their jobs. For them, living 30 years of retirement with no plans … [Read more...]

Should you buy a second home? Take a look back at this piece I wrote on October 17, 2018 for some insight into whether or not you should invest in another house.  One of the sticky parts about owning a second home is property taxes. You can't escape them. Even my favored "live free or die," New Hampshire, by example, has the third highest property taxes in the country. California, perhaps surprisingly, has a much lower rate, coming in at #34. But, the median price of a home in California far exceeds that of New Hampshire. My advice to anyone considering a second home is to rent first or to … [Read more...]

In isolated rural areas, college towns can be an oasis of culture. Restaurants, food, events, and more come to college towns thanks to the concentration of young people willing to spend their money on such fare. College towns can be a boon for more than students, though. Retirees can often find themselves comfortably at home in college towns located in states where their money is treated well. In areas with low taxes and low costs of living, a great retirement can be had with access to the sports events, entertainment, and cultural amenities offered by college towns. At US News & … [Read more...]

It has been my experience that publicly managed funds, such as pensions, tend to be backward looking. They embody a rear-view mirror way of investing that is, often times, easier to defend to a committee to save one’s job, but not necessarily the best investment strategy, as I explain here and here. In another example of group-think, pensions are trying to “protect” against losses with a “crisis risk offset.” Sounds pretty serious. In reality, it’s a 20-year Treasury bond ETF that is almost guaranteed to lose money in an all but guaranteed rising interest rate environment. Remember, when … [Read more...]