While you may not think of it in this way, your investment in a mutual fund is actually a contract to hire a professional to manage your funds, just as if you had hired an individual portfolio manager. With investment management fees approaching 1.5%, there’s no need to be concerned if they are being paid enough.

Social Security was never intended to be an income source that could support you in retirement. Rather, its sole purpose was to provide a safety net for people who were unable to accumulate sufficient retirement savings.

Sadly, more than 55% of Americans die each year without a will; and while it’s understandable why the subject of death is not one people like to contemplate, if they actually knew what happens to their estate when they die “intestate” (without a will), they might reconsider their reluctance.

After market-risk and inflation-risk, which investors take great strides to mitigate through sound investment practices, taxation-risk presents the biggest obstacle to building wealth. A sound investment strategy not only seeks to generate returns on your capital, it also seeks to preserve as much of your capital as possible to keep it working for you.

For many Americans, building true wealth might seem elusive, even illusory considering that many people, who very recently were sitting on six and seven figure 401k plans and home equity values, now feel unprepared for retirement. The lessons learned from the financial crisis is that wealth can be fleeting.

The one aspect of personal finance that most Americans share in common is debt accumulation. Average household credit card debt exceeds $7,000. But then, controlling debt becomes a truly subjective issue. Some people might think that having a few hundred dollars of debt is a major problem while others are can barely survive under the weight of their out-of-control debt.

When it comes to working with an investment advisor, the value you receive is based in the quality of the relationship you establish and his or her ability to meet, or even exceed, your expectations.

With interest rates still hovering near historic lows and the credit crisis a fading memory, the stars may be aligned for auto buyers. However, few things can cause more angst than trying to find the best deal on a new car and securing the best auto financing which, next to house, can combine to become the most expensive purchase people make.

In my opinion, it is impossible to predict future stock market returns. Investment models can produce hypothetical returns but they can’t account for future events. So, in my opinion, investors who manage their investments based on market performance or what they perceive as opportunities for better returns have very little control over the outcome.

For many people, life insurance forms the security foundation of their financial plan. While most financial planners recommend that life insurance be purchased for its protection, and not as a primary savings vehicle, few would argue that cash value life insurance doesn’t have some fairly unique and attractive savings features.