All posts by: lanergyadmin

Wednesday, November 05, 2014 | Joe Alfonso, GoLocalPDX Contributor I received lots of good reader questions related to my recent article discussing the file and suspend strategy for maximizing Social Security benefits. Here are a few, with my answers....

Wednesday, October 29, 2014 | Joe Alfonso, GoLocalPDX Contributor It’s been interesting to follow the recent handwringing in the financial press about Bill Gross, the bond fund manager, and his abrupt departure from the investment firm, PIMCO. For those of...

Wednesday, October 22, 2014 | Joe Alfonso, GoLocalPDX Contributor Many of us have heard about the “file and suspend” strategy used to maximize Social Security benefits for married couples. In this strategy, at full retirement age (FRA) (age 66 if...

Wednesday, October 15, 2014 | Joe Alfonso, GoLocalPDX Contributor Imagine that you‘ve reached the end of a long working career. The house is paid off, the kids have finished college and your retirement savings have grown to be worth $1M...

Wednesday, October 08, 2014 | Joe Alfonso, GoLocalPDX Contributor April 15 is still a ways off and taxes are probably pretty far from your mind. Now, however, is a great time to take advantage of tax saving opportunities that will...

Wednesday, October 01, 2014 | Joe Alfonso, GoLocalPDX Contributor No one wakes up in the morning and decides that today is the day they will hire a financial adviser. It usually takes a big “spear in the back,” such as...

Wednesday, September 24, 2014 | Joe Alfonso, GoLocalPDX Contributor In a previous article, we looked at the general rules governing Social Security spousal benefits. As with all things related to Social Security, it is important to see how the rules...

Wednesday, September 17, 2014 | Joe Alfonso, Personal Finance Expert, GoLocalPDX Wondering whether you’re eligible for Social Security Spousal benefits? Confused by the complex answers you get to that question? Most folks know that Social Security pays benefits to spouses...

Wednesday, September 10, 2014 | Joe Alfonso, Personal Finance Expert, GoLocalPDX As investors, we all worry about the performance of our portfolios. We worry whether our money will earn enough to help us meet our goals and if we are...

Wednesday, September 03, 2014 | Joe Alfonso, Personal Finance Expert, GoLocalPDX You’ve got money to invest but you’re worried about wading into the morass of financial decisions that might entail. Don’t. In spite of what financial pundits and many investment...