(Article for use by Edward Jones financial advisor Anji Sell of Silverdale.)

If you’re a baby boomer, you’re at the point in life where, if you haven’t actually entered retirement, you’re at least approaching the outskirts. But if you’re like many of your fellow boomers, you may be experiencing more than a little trepidation over your financial prospects as a retiree. That’s why it’s so important for you to determine what steps to take to help improve your chances of enjoying a comfortable retirement. read more »

Fall is officially here — and if you’re like most people, you’re probably wondering how summer went by so fast. Those trips to the lake or the beach are fading in memory now, giving way to helping kids with homework, raking leaves and the other rites of autumn. And just as your day-to-day tasks change with the seasons, so, too, will your money management and investment activities at different phases of your life.

Here’s how these scenarios might look:

Phase one: Planning for possibilities — When you’re young and you’re starting out in the working world, your most immediate financial concerns may be to pay off student loans and then, possibly, save for a down payment on a house. read more »

Now that 2012 is drawing to a close, you may want to review the progress you’ve made this past year in many areas of your life — including your financial situation. By going over your investment portfolio and other key areas related to your finances, you can learn what moves you may need to make in 2013 to stay on track toward your important objectives, such as college for your children, a comfortable retirement and the ability to leave the type of legacy you desire.

To get a clear picture of where you are, consider asking yourself these questions:

Am I taking on too much risk? Although 2012 has generally been a pretty good year for investors, we’ve certainly seen periods of considerable volatility. read more »

If you’re somewhat familiar with investing, you may know that the Roth IRA is a great retirement savings vehicle. But are you aware that some of its benefits can also pay off for the next generation of your family?

To understand why this is so, it’s necessary to be familiar with a Roth IRA’s features. For starters, when you contribute to a Roth IRA, your earnings have the potential to grow tax-free, provided you don’t start taking withdrawals until you’re 59? and you’ve had your account at least five years. The amounts you contributed aren’t taxed when withdrawn because you’ve already paid taxes on the money you put in. And the potential for tax-free earnings can continue even when your beneficiaries inherit your Roth IRA, though you’ll need to consult with your tax advisor on this issue. read more »

Some people buy investments here and there, now and then. Others open an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), put some money in it, and then forget about it. But this type of haphazard investment behavior can lead to haphazard results. On the other hand, you’ve got five good reasons for creating and following a comprehensive, long-term investment strategy.

Reason No. 1: You want to enjoy a comfortable retirement lifestyle. For most people, building resources for retirement is the most powerful reason to invest. As a key part of your investment strategy, you’ll want to consider investments that have growth potential. read more »

Most investors pay a great deal of attention to the price of their investments – yesterday’s price, today’s price, tomorrow’s price, next year’s price and so on. And that’s understandable, because we always want the prices of our investments to rise. Yet, if you focus too much on prices, you could end up making some costly mistakes. read more »

If you’re a woman, you have to be actively involved in your financial preparations for retirement — and that’s true whether you’re single or married. As a woman, you have at least two special considerations associated with your retirement planning:

You’ve got a longer life expectancy. Women typically outlive men by about seven years, according to the National Center for Health Statistics — and more years of life mean more expenses. read more »

If your investment portfolio is even moderately diversified, you probably own both stocks and bonds. And that’s a good idea, because diversification is essential to your success as an investor. But you also should know what to expect from different types of investment — because the more you know, the more likely you are to make the right moves. read more »