Prosperity Trek by Prosperity Concierge » Side Trips to Invest out of Savings http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek The trek to prosperity, step by step. Improve cash flow, build net worth, enjoy life and give back. To earn, spend, save and invest for happiness and fulfillment. Sun, 21 Aug 2011 21:20:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/ en hourly 1 Have the Right Temperament for Investing http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/stay-the-course-how-to/have-the-right-temperament-for-investing/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/stay-the-course-how-to/have-the-right-temperament-for-investing/#comments Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:17:39 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/stay-the-course-how-to/have-the-right-temperament-for-investing/ Warren Buffett, one of the world’s most successful investors, famously claimed that the most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. To be successful, you need to stay calm and rational during the market’s boom and bust cycles and avoid falling victim to the market’s herd instincts.

Even during dull market days, it takes

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/stay-the-course-how-to/have-the-right-temperament-for-investing/feed/ 0 Take Control of Your Saving and Asset Allocation to Reduce Your Risk http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/control-saving-asset-allocation-reduce-risk/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/control-saving-asset-allocation-reduce-risk/#comments Mon, 09 Aug 2010 01:25:33 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=10010 Your investing goal should be to invest with the understanding that while the growth potential of your nest egg may be out of your control, there are steps you can take to come as close as possible to realizing whatever that potential is.

Taking Control

You need to work really hard on the controllable factors, starting with an aggressive savings

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/control-saving-asset-allocation-reduce-risk/feed/ 0 When You Buy an Annuity What to Look For In the Insurance Company http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/buy-annuity-insurance-company-offers/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/buy-annuity-insurance-company-offers/#comments Sat, 07 Aug 2010 21:51:25 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=10007 When you buy an annuity you enter into a long-term relationship with the insurance company that offers the product. For this reason, your primary consideration when comparing annuity products is the financial strength of the insurance company behind the product.

An annuity contract can last for decades, and you need a financial partner that will be around

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/buy-annuity-insurance-company-offers/feed/ 0 Get an Annuity to Meet Your Goal and Financial Objective http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/annuity-meet-goal/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/annuity-meet-goal/#comments Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:00:26 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=10002 When you shop for an annuity look for one that is right for your goal and objective.

High Level of Guaranteed Income Now

If your objective is to generate the highest possible amount of guaranteed monthly income starting now, you will want to look at a single-premium immediate fixed annuity. Single premium means that you are paying for

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/annuity-meet-goal/feed/ 0 Asset Allocation Myths http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/asset-allocation-myths/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/asset-allocation-myths/#comments Sat, 24 Jul 2010 15:44:41 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=9851 There are many claims about the benefits of asset allocation. Not all of these claims can be supported by evidence. Here are some common myths about asset allocaton.

Asset allocation protects you from bear markets

Asset allocation is all about identifying fundamentally different asset classes (stocks, bonds, real estate investment trusts), deciding how much of each you want

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/asset-allocation-myths/feed/ 0 Investing Inertia – Overcoming Fear to Reach Your Financial Goals http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/investing-inertia-overcoming-fear-reach-financial-goals/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/investing-inertia-overcoming-fear-reach-financial-goals/#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:41:05 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=9806 Investors’ attitudes today are characterized by ambiguity. Investors don’t know even what the possible outcomes may be, let alone the probability that they might occur. Without a familiar context for financial decision making, it’s easy to become emotionally paralyzed.

The difference between uncertainty and ambiguity may sound like little more than semantics. But neuroimaging studies have found that

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/investing-inertia-overcoming-fear-reach-financial-goals/feed/ 1 Rebalance to Reduce Your Portfolio Risk http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/rebalance-reduce-portfolio-risk/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/rebalance-reduce-portfolio-risk/#comments Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:37:53 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=9732 Having an allocation of stocks, bonds, and short-term investments appropriate for your goals and tolerance for risk is important, especially when the market is volatile and you may be tempted to make short-term moves.

Although unnerving at the time, history has shown that some of the worst short-term losses in the stock market were often followed

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/rebalance-reduce-portfolio-risk/feed/ 0 How You Can Increase Your Yield on Cash and Short-Term Investments http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/increase-yield-cash-shortterm-investments/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/increase-yield-cash-shortterm-investments/#comments Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:13:02 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=9724 There are ways to increase your yield on cash and short-term investments – without taking on excessive risk.

It can be done without committing either to long-term bonds or to the volatility that can come from dropping down too far in credit quality.

First determine how much of your short-term investments are for immediate needs and has to be easily

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/increase-yield-cash-shortterm-investments/feed/ 0 Investing in Riskier Asset Classes Using the “Risk Budgeting” Approach http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/portfolio-rebalance-how-to/investing-riskier-asset-classes-risk-budgeting-approach/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/portfolio-rebalance-how-to/investing-riskier-asset-classes-risk-budgeting-approach/#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:35:26 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=9720 For most individual investors it pays to have a long-term perspective and not worry about volatility. You can focus on long-term goals and the current environment by using a ”risk budgeting” approach to investing. It isn’t the same as market timing and it keeps the long term in mind. It shares its philosophy with Warren Buffett, who advised us to

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/portfolio-rebalance-how-to/investing-riskier-asset-classes-risk-budgeting-approach/feed/ 0 Market Volatility: Your Behavior Decides if it is Good or Bad http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/market-volatility-behavior-decides-good-bad/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/market-volatility-behavior-decides-good-bad/#comments Tue, 18 May 2010 00:45:07 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=9324 Volatility isn’t bad in itself. It’s your reaction to it that matters most.

Psychological experiments have shown that the stress induced by watching the market heave up and down may lead you to try to lock in your gains by selling your winners, often before you should. The market has always been unpredictable.

There are useful, productive

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/market-volatility-behavior-decides-good-bad/feed/ 0 Cash Investments: Money Market and Savings Options http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-classes-how-to/cash-investments-money-market-savings/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-classes-how-to/cash-investments-money-market-savings/#comments Tue, 04 May 2010 17:23:31 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=9034 Investors in money market funds who hope to diversify their holdings without giving up yield have several options.

When choosing cash investments the most important consideration should be to at least beat inflation. If you aren’t beating inflation you are losing buying power. That’s just as damaging as a loss of principal.

That said, if a financial institution

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-classes-how-to/cash-investments-money-market-savings/feed/ 0 The Retirement Account Rollover: How to Preserve Your Wealth http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/retirement-account-rollover-preserve-wealth/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/retirement-account-rollover-preserve-wealth/#comments Wed, 28 Apr 2010 03:26:51 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=8996 An important retirement concern for many of us that affects our wealth protection and accumulation is on how best to make a rollover decision when changing jobs.

On a recent 401(k) Benchmarking Survey conducted by Deloitte, 22 percent of employers surveyed revealed that their employees find rollovers to be the most confusing part of their retirement plan.

“Rollover” is

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/retirement-account-rollover-preserve-wealth/feed/ 0 Wealth-Building Missteps on Your Prosperity Trek http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/giving-how-to/estate-planning-how-to/wealthbuilding-missteps-prosperity-trek/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/giving-how-to/estate-planning-how-to/wealthbuilding-missteps-prosperity-trek/#comments Tue, 27 Apr 2010 02:49:49 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=8994 A Prosperity Trek is a journey of many steps to build wealth and use it for enrichment, fulfillment and helping others. Here are some missteps that can take you off track.

Unprotected Assets

It’s not going to do you much good to build up your wealth if you let it slip through your fingers. Any number of

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/giving-how-to/estate-planning-how-to/wealthbuilding-missteps-prosperity-trek/feed/ 0 Protect Your Wealth by Minimizing, and Not Fearing, Market Volatility http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/stay-the-course-how-to/protect-wealth-minimizing-fearing-market-volatility/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/stay-the-course-how-to/protect-wealth-minimizing-fearing-market-volatility/#comments Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:59:41 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=8969 Volatility in the markets is often perceived as a risk to investors – keeping them out of the markets altogether and forcing them to store their wealth where they’ll earn a low return in “safe” investments. It’s true that in financial circles the definition of risk is volatility.

If volatility is keeping you out of the

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/stay-the-course-how-to/protect-wealth-minimizing-fearing-market-volatility/feed/ 0 Buy and Hold to Build Wealth and Avoid Timing Problem http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/buy-and-hold-to-build-wealth-and-avoid-timing-problem/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/buy-and-hold-to-build-wealth-and-avoid-timing-problem/#comments Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:24:32 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/learn/enjoy/retire/buy-and-hold-to-build-wealth-and-avoid-timing-problem/ The obvious argument for buying and holding as a strategy to build wealth is that if you try to time the markets it’s virtually impossible that you will sell at the very top or buy back into the market at the very bottom. Blowing this timing can deliver more than a small ding to your

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/buy-and-hold-to-build-wealth-and-avoid-timing-problem/feed/ 0 Investing When You Believe Inflation Is A Risk To Your Portfolio http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/investing-inflation-threat/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/investing-inflation-threat/#comments Sat, 10 Apr 2010 21:24:59 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=8708 When you believe inflation is a risk for your portfolio you can move money into some of these investments to protect your wealth.

Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities

Rising inflation is especially harmful to investors in fixed-income securities, as the purchasing power of a bond’s principal amount, usually $1,000, is lower at maturity when interest rates are higher than

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/investing-inflation-threat/feed/ 0 Every Investor Should Have Investment Rules for Asset Allocation and Rebalancing http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/investor-investment-rules-asset-allocation-rebalancing/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/investor-investment-rules-asset-allocation-rebalancing/#comments Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:03:19 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=8649 When markets rise or fall, your investment rules tell you exactly what to do with your investment money so that you stay on track to build wealth. You should  have an “investment policy” comprised of  two types of investment rules.

Asset Allocation

The first set of rules are the asset allocation rules. You decide what percentage of your

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/asset-allocation-how-to/investor-investment-rules-asset-allocation-rebalancing/feed/ 0 Retirement Accounts – The Benefits of Regular Investing http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/retirement-accounts-benefits-regular-investing/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/retirement-accounts-benefits-regular-investing/#comments Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:19:59 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=8454 These days, many Americans are assuming responsibility for their financial security during retirement. Fortunately, there are different types of retirement accounts — including IRAs and employer-sponsored 401(k) plans — that provide benefits not offered by regular, fully taxable accounts.

Each can help you focus on the future and begin laying the groundwork for a financially secure

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/retirement-accounts-benefits-regular-investing/feed/ 0 Tax Strategies for Saving and Investing http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/tax-strategies-saving-investing/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/tax-strategies-saving-investing/#comments Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:00:32 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=8375 There are tax-advantaged ways to save and invest. Here’s how:

1. Create an investment strategy

Instead of basing a tax strategy on something you can’t control, such as future  tax policy, consider building an investing plan around your current tax rate and your general expectations of future marginal tax rates (combined federal, state, and local income rates), particularly

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]]> http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/tax-strategies-saving-investing/feed/ 0 Q&A: The Roth IRA Conversion – How to Convert to a Roth and Why http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/qa-roth-ira-conversion-convert-roth/ http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/trek-how-to/building-how-to/investment-vehicles-how-to/qa-roth-ira-conversion-convert-roth/#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:45:44 +0000 Prosperity Concierge http://prosperityconcierge.com/trek/?p=8300 Continue reading Q&A: The Roth IRA Conversion – How to Convert to a Roth and Why

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