Ask Terry Archives

Hi Terry, I hope you're well and happy. I am a 71 year old widow and will sell my house in the next year or two. Since I have done okay this far, my main goal is to not make any big money mistakes. Another goal is to minimize any possible burden on my daughters.…

Dear Terry, I am in desperate need of help. Our credit card bills amount to 40,000.00. Yep you read that right. It has become increasingly hard to keep afloat. So here is my question. My husband has about 600,000.00 in his 401k. He is about 5 years from retiring. My house is worth about 300,000…

I understand the data on average superiority of index mutual funds to managed funds while building retirement funds. How do these data apply to post retirement management of retirement funds when one is constantly withdrawing funds from the principal amount in retirement accounts rather than adding to retirement accounts? Also, in your recent column you…

my 92 yr old dad needs options for his universal life policy taken out in 1987. The insurance company is asking for over $5000 to keep the policy or he gets NOTHING.

Mom is 95, legally blind, been paying premiums for years. Is it possible she will be taken off the denied status?

Your article in the Times about index funds suggests that index funds beat most managed funds over a 20 year period. Are index funds the best way to invest if your time horizon is only 10 years? Thank you.

We are meeting with a Geiger Wealth manager. I want to know if they sell only annuities and who would you recommend. My husband is 5 years from retirement and we have most of our savings with Fidelity Thank you Cheryl

Terry - I'm retiring in 2017 and I'm frightened by what I hear about another stock market adjustment like what happened in 2008. I've also heard rumors about the bottom dropping out of the housing market again. Do you have any thoughts on these two issues. Should I not retire?

I heard last part of your discussion on 8/4 with Steve Bertrand re: annuities and was in the car so I couldn't write down website of your "friend" Can you please provide? Thank you

Hi Terry, My fiance and I were planning on getting married but she is afraid it will ruin her credit score. Will us getting married affect her credit score at all? Thanks for your time. Sincerely, James Chicago IL

Terry, I am new to investing. What is the best way to learn about stock & bond markets, Vanguards? I want to try and understand how things work and terminology. Books, websites, etc? Terry Says:  First, you need to understand how the market works.  I recommend a great little book (for which I wrote the…

I have 5 corporate bonds (laddered) and I wonder how safe these will be in the future. They are all good solid companies with the lowest rating as BBB+. The all pay very good dividends which go into cash fund. They are all held in an traditional IRA account. I am getting concerned with the…

I own shares in a company that has deregistered from the SEC Stopped trading on the pink sheets - a year or so ago The company is still operating and doing business. In my recent phone contact with the, they said my shares were still good, but they will not be trading again this year.…

for a healthy 63 year old nearing retirement in 3 years with recently taking a less stressfull job, short term disability or long term disability insurance is offered . Is there a big drawback to either?

I am 81 and employed part time in a business owned by my sons. I am required to take my 401 distribution because I am related to the owners. I reinvest the proceeds & wonder if there is something to put the money in that is tax free??

If bonds may take hit soon, how would you diversify your 403B with only 2 years to retirement? Stock,bonds,international? Terry Says:  This is a problem with company retirement plans.  They are designed for younger people in the accumulation phase -- and history says that over the long run -- IF you have the long run!…

Fixed annuity maturing 8/4 my husband took care of this ...he has been diagnosed with dementia and I am not sure what I should do with these funds...want to keep it safe not to be too aggressive any ideas? Best regards

Our current managed portfolio consists mostly of ETF's vs Mutual funds. An advisor from a different firm warned me about ETF's stating that they have risks. She sent me an example of a prospectus and highlighted three areas of concern: Authorized participant concentration risk, No guarantee of active trading market, and Trading issues. On the…

I am retired for three years. My present portfolio has a mutual fund component that is presently very diversified. So much so that I do not have the capability and acumen to manage it properly. I have been considering consolidating into various diversified index funds. My question, based on the current record high levels of…

Terry, i'm a fed employee enrolled in the thrift saving plan. I will be 59 1/2 years old in November and plan to with draw 120.000 dollars from my tsp to make a down payment on a house and to pay off a parent student loan and a credit card bill. I plan to continue…