THINK Retirement NOW. ™

Is the “Santa Claus rally” real—and does it apply to crazy, zany years like 2020? In the investing world, the uptick in stock market performance at the end of most years is commonly referred to as the "Santa Claus" rally, often bringing investors jolly gains. It is typically followed by what is known as the "January Effect."  But will Santa visit THIS year, and if he does, how many "goodies" will leave us? There are numerous explanations for the causes of a Santa Claus rally including estate tax considerations, a general feeling of optimism on Wall Street because the Fed is keeping rates low, and the investing of holiday bonuses. But are the stars lining up this year? We have a full report for you today, and then Health Insurance expert Shelley Grandidge joins us. A fact filled and entertaining show you don't want to miss...MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!!

Investing in 2021 will be different from 2020, and that's a good thing. Congress and the Fed will continue to shove dollars into the economy and keep interest rates low. That is just what traders want to hear. Heading into 2021, Barron’s has published its  list of 10 favorite stocks for the coming year, like it has for the past 11 years. Sometimes they get it right, other years not so much. But they always manage to pick some winners, so it is worthwhile to review their favorite stocks for 2021. That's exactly what we'll be doing today. Steve will reveal why some of Barrons picks qualify for the Black Diamond and Blue Diamond portfolios, and maybe more important: why some of them DON'T.  Because YOU want to make MONEY in 2021, you don't want to miss TODAY'S show.....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!!!

In case you hadn't noticed, the future is getting just a 'tad' more unpredictable every day. That's why protecting your core capital and securing your retirement income are such high priorities.   Smart people are turning to NEXT GENERATION annuities to meet that need. Annuities are not for young investors. They are for those planning a retirement that can weather the worst of economies, without losing a penny or missing a beat.  The key benefit that modern day annuities may provide a retired person is a contractual guarantee of principal and income—regardless of market conditions.There are four different types of annuities, and due to current low interest rates and volatile markets, THREE of those types may not be as advantageous as the fourth.  Today, Steve will review exactly WHICH annuities are leading the pack, and that could be right for you. Then Medicare expert Shelley Grandidge joins us for the Q & A.  A power packed and timely show you DON'T want to miss...MASTERING MONEY  is on the air!!!

Moving into 2021, market analysts see reasons why stocks can go up--rather decisively--or not. Vaccines may put COVID in the rear view mirror and government stimulus is likely on the way. Still, for retired investors, staying 100% on offense is not wise.  A class of stocks known as "Defensive stocks" may offer the benefits of long-term gains with lower risk.  During major crashes, the best defensive stocks keep paying YOU steady,  increasing dividends, even if the share price is falling. Market declines should be expected as part of the normal business cycle. Therefore, your financial plan should not be set up solely for upward growth. It must have an increasing element of protection the older you get. You don’t want to go backwards in your 60s or 70s. Today, we'll identify some top defensive stock, then  Steve will outline a strategy for 2021. You don't want to miss TODAY'S show.....MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!!!!

Are Tesla’s Shares Worth  90…780? Wall Street Can’t Decide.  For all the headline-making drama surrounding Elon Musk and his brainchild Tesla Inc., investors who had the patience, got rewarded handsomely this year. On January 1st of 2020, the stock was trading at $93 a share.  By mid-December--just before its entry into the S & P 500, it was trading at nearly $650.  Tesla’s shares currently trade at nearly 1,000 times earnings, compared with a paltry 14 times for General Motors, although GM sells almost twenty times more cars.  Now that the company is maturing into blue-chip status, what happens next may boil down to some simple questions: What type of company is Tesla exactly? And how should the stock be valued? You may have your own answers. Wall Street’s, however, are wildly different -- Goldman Sachs has a price target of $780 while JPMorgan Chase’s is $90. We'll give you the complete rundown, then Medicare expert Shelley Grandidge joins us....a fascinating show you don't want to miss...MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!!

Many investors are bewildered by the rise of the stock market since COVID 19.  Milestone after milestone has been hit, including a 30,000 Dow, even with the economy on one leg. As remarkable as it sounds, stocks still have room to run according to top Wall Street analysts. Pent up demand is building on the half of the economy that is nearly shut down, and the vaccine could get things back to normal. But there is another KEY REASON WHY the market has risen and likely to KEEP rising in 2021 no matter who is running the White House or the Senate. We'll explain that key factor in detail, with data from the Wall Street Journal. Then Steve reviews the 2021 strategy for the Black Diamond and Blue Diamond portfolios. A very timely show you DON'T want to miss...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!!!

Electric cars run quietly and no smoke comes out the back-end as they cruise down the highway. These cars burn no gas. They are battery powered, so they couldn't possibly be polluting the air, right?  Wrong!  says a former electric vehicle engineer for GM and author of an important book on the topic. How could electric cars and trucks possibly pollute?  Well it turns out that it has a lot to do with MAKING the batteries and CHARGING the batteries--two unavoidable aspects of making the massive move to electric vehicles. Joe Biden says he wants to use your tax dollars to build 500,000 new charging stations. Today we'll learn how that could have a major NEGATIVE effect on the environment. This is the REAL science. And then Medicare and health insurance expert Shelley Grandidge joins us. A very interesting show you don't want to miss...MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!!

Growing your retirement money without losses while owning a guaranteed lifetime income more than five times that of quality bonds is the key to retiring without the worry of going poor later in life. These benefits are only attainable with a principal secure uncapped, low cost, high income NEXT GENERATION retirement annuity. Pensions have all but disappeared  for today's retirees, but the need for predictable secure income for life is still a pressing need. Who wants to worry about running out of money?  This need has led to a very logical move toward the benefits provided by NEXT GENERATION retirement annuities. Today, we'll explain in detail how they work and how you may benefit.  A really timely show you don't want to miss...MASTERING MONEY  is on the air!!!