THINK Retirement NOW. ™

Your job as an investor—or the job of the person you hire to manage your money—is to optimize gains, while minimizing losses.  Sounds easy, but today, you need a strategy built for the low interest rate environment of the 2020’s, not the 1990s.  Well-chosen stocks can be long-term sources of wealth creation, just like well-located real estate. This is true even if you buy at what seems like the worst possible time. For example, if you invested in an S&P 500 index fund in early October 2007, the next couple of years would have felt awful.  If you were still contributing to a 401k, however,  it turned out to be really good news. Your steady contributions kept buying more units of mutual funds at lower prices.  Even buying at the so called “wrong time” just before the 2008 crash, HIGH QUALITY  stocks delivered terrific gains by 2020—upwards of 300 percent—by just staying the course and not panicking. That said, in retirement you will be unemployed for 30 years or so. Therefore, a properly built financial plan will separate income capital from growth capital into a Smarter Bucketing system to protect against crashes. Today, we'll get into the fundamentals of putting together a rock solid financial plan...for the LONG HAUL.  Don't miss it....MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!!

How well have you done with your investments over your lifetime? You've had some good years where you got twenty percent or so perhaps. But, like the rest of us, you have had some STINKERS. Most investors lose money an average of three years out ten. That's why averaging ten percent is so hard. Most investors also buy stocks or mutual funds haphazardly--without a clear strategy. That's another proven way to hurt your overall returns. How long does it take to DOUBLE your money? Using the Rule of 72, money doubles every eighteen years at four percent compounded, it doubles every twelve years at six percent compounded, and every nine years at eight percent compounded. Today, we'll review the real secrets of raising your average rate of return and how get a guaranteed bonus of ten percent on a safe fixed income vehicle, with a GUARANTEED growth rate of 7 percent COMPOUNDED.  Then health insurance expert Shelley Grandidge joins us. A very timely show you don't want to miss...MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!!

So, what's going on with these crazy markets again?  Can you spell "robot"?  Every time volatility returns to the market, some investors appear to be shocked that Wall Street is not as safe as an index annuity or a bank CD!   Face it.  Stocks go up… and stocks go down…then up again. They always have and always will. In fact, it’s because they DO go up and down that you actually have a chance of making good money. If there were no risk, there would be no way to make a gain.  So, how do you play a volatile market today?  Three words:  "quality, quality, quality." Buy companies, not stocks, and only buy companies that make real money! Today, we'll explain in detail what's happening with algorithmic trading right now, how it is at the root of these big swings, but more important:  exactly what to do to keep building and protecting YOUR retirement money, the Smart Way.  Don't miss it....MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!!

Today on Mastering Money...It’s a MOTLEY FOOL MONDAY!! The Motley Fool Money Show is one of the most popular stock market TALK SHOWS in America today, featuring timely insights from top market experts and heard by millions of listeners coast to coast—including Saturdays right here on Money Radio at 5pm! After an update of the markets and today's breaking financial news stories, we'll take you to an exclusive broadcast of the Motley Fool Money Show... chock full of ideas to help you become a more informed investor, followed by proven money-making and money-SAVING ideas from Steve that you DON'T want to miss! -- A jam-packed show for you today,  and it all starts RIGHT NOW... MASTERING MONEY IS ON THE AIR!!!

When we hear about sudden, massive gains in speculative stocks like Tesla and GameStop—the temptation is to feel like you somehow “missed out”.  But most investors of retirement age are not ready to put a heavy load of their money into one or two stocks to try to make a killing. As an investor, you need to decide what your priorities are, what your realistic goals are, and how much risk you are willing to take to achieve those goals.  If you’ve already accumulated five hundred thousand to a million dollars or more, it’s likely that you're not ready to lay it ALL down on one stock in hopes that it doubles within ninety days.  You're more likely to place an emphasis on PRESERVING what you’ve already made before you take big chances-- with big chunks of your money. In fact, the real reason you’ve accumulated money is that you’ve mostly avoided silly risks along the way.  Instead, you kept your eyes on the prize:   a comfortable retirement funded by diversified, solid investments that make sense. Today, we'll review a smart strategy for doing just that. Then medicare and health insurance specialist Shelley Grandidge joins us.  This is a show you DON'T want to miss...MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!!

It's getting harder and harder to retire on a million dollars anymore. Statistics show there are now more than fourteen million households in America with a net worth of a million or more. They should be relaxed and calm about their futures, right?  Nothing to worry about... right?  Well, not so much.  They see a stock market that keeps rising-- and they wonder when it might stop. They see interest rates on treasury bonds so low, they could never hope to take an income without spending down all principal. And, They worry about a progressive, severe left turn in politics where there are seemingly no limits to borrowing and printing money.  It all adds up to this:  the old fashioned method of retiring on a stock and bond portfolio--without worrying-- is officially dead. Today we'll report on what people--maybe you--are worried about and why you SHOULD be! Then Steve will talk about solutions.  A very timely show you don't want to miss....MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!!!

In January of last year, employees of Novavax Inc. met at a local Maryland bar to discuss how they might salvage their careers. For decades, the small biotech had tried to develop a big selling vaccine, with no success. The company had enough cash to survive only another six months or so and its shares traded under $4, with a market value of $127 million dollars.  Today, Novavax is advancing toward authorization of a huge Covid-19 vaccine. Scientists believe that, if cleared, it could be one of the best, offering key possible advantages over its competitors. Some early data suggest the Novavax shot may be one of the first shown to stem asymptomatic spread of the coronavirus. It's vaccine does not require freezing, another big advantage. Suddenly Novavax  has a market value of $15.4 billion dollars, greater than that of drug giant Teva Pharmaceuticals!   But should you buy the stock, which is up 106% this year? We'll review an in-depth Wall Street Journal report for you, then Medicare expert Shelley Grandidge joins us. A fact filled show you don't want to miss...MASTERING MONEY  is on the air!!!

One of the biggest beneficiaries of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the cloud computing industry. All sorts of companies in every category—not to mention individual users-- have been increasingly adopting cloud services for storing sensitive data. It’s a trend that can only get bigger.  Cloud storage has been a growing industry for some time, but the coronavirus really accelerated the trend in 2020 and 2021. As people work from home and do more of their shopping online, the demand for cloud services continues to grow.  Individual stocks and ETFs that focus on companies providing cloud services did especially well in 2020. Their returns have varied, but double-digit and even tri ple-digit returns were seen last year. With cloud demand expected to remain strong,  solid growth is already happening in 2021. Cloud computing saves big corporations and small businesses both money and time. Even in a recession, Cloud Computing is service that grows in demand. Today, we'll examine the Cloud Computing industry and the investments that might pay off in 2021 and beyond.... MASTERING MONEY  is on the air!!!!

Today on Mastering Money...It’s a MOTLEY FOOL MONDAY!! The Motley Fool Money Show is one of the most popular stock market TALK SHOWS in America, featuring timely insights from top market experts and heard by millions of listeners coast to coast—including Saturdays right here on Money Radio at 5pm! After an update of the markets and today's breaking financial news stories, we'll take you to an exclusive broadcast of the Motley Fool Money Show... chock full of ideas to help you become a more informed investor, followed by proven money-making and money-SAVING ideas from Steve that you DON'T want to miss! -- A jam-packed show for you today,  and it all starts RIGHT NOW... MASTERING MONEY IS ON THE AIR!!!

Interest rates on  U.S. treasury bonds—once a mainstay of retirement planning—remain so low,  that almost no one can retire on them anymore.  Yields remain under 1.5% for TEN YEAR treasury's.  This mathematical reality is causing a huge challenge for retiring investors who want to lower their risk and stop worrying about their money. Bond investors are so starved for yield right now that they are actually turning to twenty and thirty year bonds issued by America’s Colleges and Universities—which are struggling due to Covid 19 and cancellation of athletics.  Today, we'll review a surprising report on buyers lining up to buy these bonds that may shock you. Then Medicare and Health insurance expert Shelley Grandidge joins us.  A thought provoking show you don't want to miss..... MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!!