The average annual return for stock market investments since 1926 has been about 10.3 percent, according to Yahoo! Finance. This makes it one of the best methods available for growing your investment account balance over the long term. When you want to create an equity portfolio, you could potentially use several different strategies to build your account value.
Investors and their advisers or fund managers can construct an equity portfolio using various strategies that fit with their own risk and return requirements. Some strategies are more aggressive, striving to achieve higher expected returns with more potential risks. Other strategies are more conservative, aiming at controlling investment safety while retaining satisfactory returns. The equity universe is widely ranging with security classes of different market capitalization and unique business fundamentals from all sectors and industries. It is also possible for an equity portfolio to have an income focus by investing in dividend stocks.
Like many specialized industries, the world of investments has its own language. While most people are content to think in terms of stocks, bonds and mutual funds, investment advisors and brokerage houses use terminology that provides a more specific definition of a category, function or style. The term "equity" is one that loosely refers to stocks, but may encompass much more.
When saving money for retirement, you must make sure that you accurately assess your savings needs so that you can retire comfortably on your timeline. However, even if you make sound savings goals, you may still fall short of them. If you need additional money for retirement, you may want to consider using your home as part of your retirement portfolio.
Retirement housing in Wyoming offers seniors places to rent for independent living, and some communities provide varied levels of services and care for their residents. Seniors can live in a fully independent retirement community or select from a variety of services depending on their needs.
Bristol, Connecticut, is located in the central part of the state, 20 miles southwest of Hartford. According to the City of Bristol, it is one of the state's largest communities. It features a thriving business community and art scene and is home to historical and cultural attractions. People interested in moving to a retirement home in Bristol will find both independent-living and assisted-living options, as well as homes offering more specialized care.
Mesa is a suburb located east of Phoenix, Arizona. Mesa is a low-key town with several colleges and universities, churches and museums. The city is the home of the Chicago Cubs' spring training, and also offers an arts center and the Golfland Sunsplash water park. Mesa is a popular retirement destination because of its warm weather and pleasant quality of life. There are several retirement resorts, adult communities and assisted living centers located in Mesa for those 55 years or older.
Senior care facilities have moved into the 21st century. Bibs are now called clothing protectors and adult diapers use the name "incontinence garments." Aside from the nomenclature, retirement home transformation also includes changes in food offerings and activities. Potential residents for senior residential facilities, or people inspecting homes for family members, must look into more than the obvious features presented on tours. A checklist of specific safeguards, procedures and research can help identify potential problems before committing to a facility.
Retirement assets are considered when dividing a marital estate into two equal parts in divorce. All retirement accounts can only have one owner, but it is assumed that both parties contribute to the ability of one person to save assets, thus giving the non-owner equity in the retirement plan. A special court order, called a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO), is required to divide the assets and move them into the other party's name.
The old adage of relying on a single source of income doesn't apply to retirement. The fact is that in paying for retirement, most seniors will count on multiple streams of income, and methods, to pay for expenses, while they may once have relied on a single salary source to live on. Americans use a wide range of methods to pay for retirement. Here are a few ways you can go about preparing, or paying, for retirement.
Sun City, located 15 miles from Phoenix, Arizona, has welcomed retirees since 1960. Billing itself as "the largest active lifestyle retirement community in North America," according to the Sun City Home Owners Association (SCHOA), Sun City has eight golf courses, two bowling alleys, seven recreational centers and 43,000 residents. The 27,000 homes in Sun City abide by the covenants, conditions and restrictions established by the community and overseen by SCHOA.
Would you like to find out how the IRS can help you pay for your home, so that you can deduct the associated expenses--and never pay tax on the gain? It can be done. Read on for the way.