Weekly Villager » Financial Focus

Five Financial Success Strategies for Today’s Busy Woman

Christopher Perme — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:02:40 +0000

What is the sign of a good decision?® It’s preparing for the unexpected to help protect the lifestyle you have worked so hard to achieve. Women play a pivotal role in the economic vitality of our society. You have worked hard for everything you’ve achieved – as an employee, business owner or ...

Disability Facts that Might Surprise You

Christopher Perme — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:31:26 +0000

In times like these, good decisions matter. And when it comes to protecting a portion of your income from disability risks, it’s important to base your decision on the facts. In the case of disability, some of those facts might surprise you. For example, more than one-quarter of today’s 20 year-olds ...

By The Numbers

Christopher Perme — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:54:00 +0000

What is the sign of a good decision?® It’s putting what’s important to you first. Did you realize that your assets owned at death are generally subject to federal and state taxes? A significant percentage of your estate may go towards tax liabilities. Unless you plan ahead, your legacy becomes open to public ...

By The Numbers

Christopher Perme — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 02:30:06 +0000

1. DROPS HAPPEN – Since the S&P 500 bottomed on 3/09/09, the stock index has gained +130.1% through the close of trading last Friday 3/22/13 (change of the raw index not counting the impact of reinvested dividends). Even though the index has more than doubled there have been 13 different ...

By The Numbers

Christopher Perme — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 02:47:45 +0000

1. LOOKING BACK – Over the 300 months ending 2/28/13 (i.e., the last 25 years), the S&P 500 has been up 64% of the months and down the other 36% of the months. The period includes the 2000-02 bear market (down 49%) and the 2007-09 bear market (down 57%). The ...

By The Numbers

Christopher Perme — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 14:51:36 +0000

1. TWO MONTHS – The S&P 500 gained +6.6% (total return) during the first 2 months of 2013, 67% of the average annual total return achieved over the last 50 calendar years. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index of 500 widely held stocks that is generally considered representative of ...

How Much Will Health Care Cost in Retirement?

Christopher Perme — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:22:11 +0000

What is the sign of a good decision?® It’s managing health care costs and your retirement outlook. Health care costs rank as one of retirees’ biggest financial concerns. But the sooner you plan for this cost, the better you’ll feel about your retirement security. Keep in mind, too, that the chances of ...

Help Protect Your Assets

Christopher Perme — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 17:04:55 +0000

Lawsuits have become increasingly common in our society. From 1951 through 2009, the cost of torts (civil suits) rose at more than double the annual rate of general inflation and even surpassed the annual increase in medical expenses. In this litigious environment, it is especially important to protect your assets and ...

What Are Some Smart Ways to Refinance?

Christopher Perme — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 18:00:14 +0000

Recently, fixed mortgages were near their lowest rates in almost 30 years. And if you are one of the many people who took out mortgages in the few years prior to that, you may be wondering if you should look into refinancing. If your mortgage was taken out within the past ...

Help Protect Your Assets

Christopher Perme — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:52:15 +0000

Lawsuits have become increasingly common in our society. From 1951 through 2009, the cost of torts (civil suits) rose at more than double the annual rate of general inflation and even surpassed the annual increase in medical expenses (see chart). In this litigious environment, it is especially important to protect your ...