Wealth Management

At FDR Group, Inc., we recognize that your investment portfolio is an integral part of your financial strategy. Our investment team is dedicated to providing professional guidance on portfolio construction, asset allocation, and investment strategies to help you work toward your goals.

• Mutual Funds Vs. ETFs

  ETFs (exchange-traded funds) and mutual funds both offer exposure to a wide variety of asset classes and niche markets. They generally provide more diversification than a single stock or bond, and they can be used to create a diversified portfolio when funds from multiple asset classes are combined.

• ETF Vs Stocks

  ETFs tend to be less volatile than individual stocks, meaning your investment won't swing in value as much. ETFs have low expense ratios, the fund's cost as a percentage of your investment. They may charge only a few dollars annually for every $10,000 invested.

• What does it mean to diversify investments?

  Diversify Your Investments. Diversification can be neatly summed up as, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”. The idea is that if one investment loses money, the other investments will make up for those losses. Diversification can’t guarantee that your investments won’t suffer if the market drops. But it can improve the chances that you won’t lose money, or that if you do, it won’t be as much as if you weren’t diversified

• What Is Rebalancing?

  Rebalancing refers to the process of returning the values of a portfolio's asset allocations to the levels defined by an investment plan. Those levels are intended to match an investor's tolerance for risk and desire for reward.

• How often should I rebalance my investment portfolio?

  How often should you rebalance? General consensus is that a diversified portfolio may need rebalancing every 12 months, especially if you are in an accumulation phase. If you are in retirement or getting ready for retirement, a de-accumulation phase, your portfolio may need to be rebalanced more often because of a lower risk tolerance.

• Is it worth it getting a money manager?

  Several of our advisors hold the Certified Financial Planner designation, a standard of excellence denoting extensive training and adherence to rigorous ethical standards.

• Strategic alignment makes a difference.

  A financial advisor is worth the money if you are uncertain about how to manage your money, invest for your future, and take care of your family. Expert financial advice may be needed at various turning points in your life: when you have a child, get a promotion, or come into an inheritance..

• How should a 40 year old put away for retirement?

  The following savings guidelines can be a starting point for evaluating your progress toward a fully funded retirement. These rules of thumb say you should have saved ...

  
  

  •2 to 3 times your income by age 40.
  •3 to 4 times your income by age 45.

  
  

  These income-based targets assume you can live on a similar or slightly lower income during retirement. The absolute dollar amount you need for retirement can vary a lot depending on where you live, health needs, and other variables. Here are two examples of where these guidelines might land you.

  Annual income: $60,000

  
  

  •Retirement savings by age 40: $120,000 to $180,000.
  •Retirement savings by age 45: $180,000 to $240,000.

  
  

  Annual income: $100,000

  
  

  •Retirement savings by age 40: $200,000 to $300,000.
  •Retirement savings by age 45: $300,000 to $400,000.

  
  

  No matter how much you earn, these amounts might seem high, especially if you’re raising children, have high medical expenses, or are paying off a mortgage. You might also have realized that if the goal is to save a percentage of your income and your income changes, then you’re chasing a moving target. However, if you aim to save a consistent percentage of each paycheck and not a fixed dollar amount, you may be able to keep up.

• What is the 12 month rollover rule?

  IRA one-rollover-per-year-rule

  You generally cannot make more than one rollover from the same IRA within a 1-year period. You also cannot make a rollover during this 1-year period from IRA to which the distribution was rolled over.

• What happens if I do two rollovers in a year?

  When you do a rollover from any one of your IRAs (traditional or Roth), and then do another IRA “rollover” within a twelve-month period, any previously untaxed funds distributed from the second IRA must be included in your taxable income and may be subject to the 10% early distribution penalty.

• How are retirement accounts taxed?

  With a traditional individual retirement account (IRA) or 401(k) plan, you don’t pay ordinary income taxes on the money you’re contributing. Instead, you’ll be taxed when you withdraw your savings at then-current income tax rate. This reduces your tax expense in the year that you contribute. You could further benefit later because your tax bracket in retirement might be lower than it is today.

• Can I have a 401(K) and an IRA?

  Yes, you can have both accounts and many people do. The traditional individual retirement account (IRA) and 401(k) provide the benefit of tax-deferred savings for retirement. Depending on your tax situation, you may also be able to receive a tax deduction for the amount you contribute to a 401(k) and IRA each tax year.

• How to determine if you have enough money to retire?

  The following are some examples of how to calculate if you are ready to retire:

  •If you have 10 times your annual take-home pay saved, you might be ready to retire.

  •If the 4% rule will give you enough to cover your expenses, you have enough saved. 25 times rule: Take your annual expenses and multiply them by 25.

  •70%-80% rule: Many experts say you will need about 70% to 80% of your average income during your working years annually to fund your retirement.

  •15% rule: If you start at the beginning of a career, saving 15% of income should be enough to fund your retirement

ETFs trade like stocks, are subject to investment risk, fluctuate in market value, and may trade at prices above or below the ETF's net asset value (NAV). Upon redemption, the value of fund shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. ETFs carry additional risks such as not being diversified, possible trading halts, and index tracking errors.

Investing in mutual funds involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Fund value will fluctuate with market conditions and it may not achieve its investment objective. 

There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk.

• What is a college savings plan?

  A 529 college savings plan is a state-sponsored investment plan that enables you to save money for a beneficiary and pay for education expenses. You can withdraw funds tax-free to cover nearly any type of college expense. 529 plans may offer additional state or federal tax benefits.

• Which is better 529 or prepaid college savings plan?

  529 college savings plans can be withdrawn tax-free to pay for qualified higher education expenses, which include tuition, fees, supplies and equipment, computers, internet access and even some room and board. Prepaid plans, on the other hand, usually only cover the costs of tuition and fees.

• What is an UTMA/ UGMA 529 account?

  Custodial accounts under the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) or Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) are accounts created under a state’s law to hold gifts or transfers that a minor has received. The accounts are managed by a custodian, and once a gift or transfer is made to an account, the gift or transfer cannot be revoked. Because the minor owns the assets in the account, the account is held and reported under the minor's Social Security number (SSN).

• What is an annuity?

  An annuity is a financial product offered by insurance companies to provide investors with a steady income stream in retirement. Investors make a lump sum payment or a series of payments, and the annuity pays a specific amount back to them in regular distributions either immediately or at some point in the future. These distributions can be used to cover essential or recurring expenses.

• What age should you not buy an annuity?

  The typical age restriction is around 80. Many insurance companies will not allow you to purchase an annuity with an income rider until you are 50 or older.

  Warning: If you withdraw money from a fixed index annuity contract before you are 59.5 years old, you will have to pay taxes and a 10% early withdrawal penalty.

• Is an annuity a good idea?

  Annuities can provide a reliable income stream in retirement, but if you die too soon, you may not get your money’s worth.

  Annuities often have high fees compared to mutual funds and other investments.

  You can customize an annuity to fit your needs, but you’ll usually have to pay more or accept a lower monthly income.

• Do you pay taxes on annuities?

  Because annuities grow tax-deferred, you do not owe income taxes until you withdraw money or begin receiving payments. Upon a withdrawal, the money will be taxed as income if you purchased the annuity with pre-tax funds. If you purchased the annuity with post-tax funds, you would only pay tax on the earnings. A beneficial reason to buy annuities is that they grow tax-deferred in the accumulation phase.

• What is a Deferred Income Annuity (DIA)?

  A deferred income annuity (DIA) allows you to use a lump sum or multiple purchases to receive a guaranteed "retirement paycheck". The DIA provides guaranteed income (your "retirement paycheck") beginning at a future date of your choice (generally, 13 months to 40 years from the initial purchase).

• What is the difference between a MYGA (Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity) and a traditional fixed annuity?

  MYGAs are a type of fixed annuity. The main difference between traditional fixed annuities and MYGAs is the period of time that the contracts guarantee the fixed interest rate. MYGAs guarantee the interest rate for the entire duration of the contract, which could be, for example, 10 years.

• Which annuity is better, variable or fixed?

  Generally speaking, fixed annuities are less risky than variable annuities. Fixed annuities offer a fixed interest rate. Market volatility or company profits don’t affect the interest rate on a contract. For conservative investors who seek stability and safety, a fixed annuity might be a better investment option. Knowing that your payments will never fluctuate or vary may put a conservative investor’s mind at ease.

• Are variable annuities tied to the stock market?

  A variable annuity, regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), is a retirement product in which funds are directly tied to the market.

  A fixed annuity is a retirement product that earns a fixed interest rate.

  The value of a variable annuity fluctuates and poses the greatest risk to an investor during a recession.

• What are the downsides of indexed annuities?

  The advantages of indexed annuities include the potential to earn more interest and the premium protection they offer. The disadvantages include higher fees and commissions and caps on gains.

• How does an index annuity work?

  An index annuity is an annuity whose rate of return is based on a stock market index, such as the S&P 500. Unlike most variable annuities, an indexed annuity sets limits on your potential gains and losses, so these annuity contracts are less risky than investing directly in the market but also have less upside

• What are main disadvantages of annuities?

  The main drawbacks are the long-term contract, loss of control over your investment, low or no interest earned, and high fees. There are also fewer liquidity options with annuities, and you must wait until age 59.5 to withdraw any money from the annuity without penalty