Author Archives: Melissa Gracey

Cosigning loans for friends or family members can spell financial disaster and ruin otherwise healthy relationships. While it is not unusual for parents to cosign for a child’s student loans, car loans or even a mortgage, doing so can damage parents’ credit scores and leave them liable for paying off the entire debt plus interest.  […]

High interest rates and persistent inflation have raised red flags for many investors nearing or entering retirement. In this uncertain environment, soon-to-be retirees are increasingly turning to annuities to help diversify and protect their retirement savings while creating a steady and predictable income stream for all their remaining living years. Determining whether annuity products are […]

In a world where we conduct and share so much of our lives online, it is essential to consider what happens to our digital footprint after we pass away. Do family members have the usernames and passwords needed to access all your financial accounts and pay bills in your absence? Can they access all the […]

If you think the only form of cheating in a marriage happens in the bedroom, you would be wrong. A growing number of marriages suffer the damaging effects of financial infidelity in which one spouse intentionally lies about or hides assets or other financial information from the other spouse.  Both are examples of betrayals that […]

Gone are the days when large, institutional banks and wirehouses were the only ones with pockets deep enough to arm financial advisors with the tools needed to attract and retain wealthy clients. Today, independent brokers/dealers and registered investment advisories associated with independent wealth management firms have access to a wide array of customizable strategies and […]

Millennials have fueled a growing movement of investors who aspire to work for shorter periods, supercharging their savings and investing during their early years and enabling them to retire at a younger age than the generations before them. This strategy, referred to as Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE), may sound like a good plan, but […]

Ever since the creation of the first investable index fund in 1975, investors have debated whether it is better to invest in actively or passively managed investments. Is one superior to the other? Not necessarily. Should you utilize one over the other? Probably not. With passively managed investments, your money is automatically put into securities […]

Naming beneficiaries to receive proceeds from a life insurance policy or retirement account is a difficult decision that requires consideration of a range of factors. Because these selections supersede designations in your will, they are an important step in the estate-planning process that must be addressed with particular care and attention to detail. Selecting Beneficiaries […]

If you want to get in shape, you should establish healthy eating habits and a regular exercise schedule. Are you looking to play an instrument? Take lessons and start a routine of practicing regularly. The road to success is paved with positive behaviors and lifestyle choices. Retirement is no different. Following are six habits that […]

According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), financial abuse of Americans aged 60 and older increased during the pandemic with an estimated $27 billion in losses. More startling is that in 72 percent of these crimes, the victim knew the perpetrator, who was either a caregiver, a fiduciary or […]