CFP®

Reducing portfolio risk is often one of an investor’s greatest concerns. Diversifying your assets allows you to reduce your investment risk while often providing a higher return. Diversification means simply not owning enough of any one asset to make a killing at it or to get killed by it. Choosing numerous asset classes that fluctuate independently of each other (one may zig while another zags) can reduce the volatility of your overall portfolio.

The biggest challenge most retirees are facing lately is how to draw down their retirement nest eggs without letting them run out. Here is a common sense approach that will protect your portfolio even during the worst of market environments. Stick to your budget. Once you determine what your monthly expense needs are for 2010, stick to it.

Managing your finances in retirement can be tricky business. High inflation, market crashes, and economic uncertainty can create discomfort and even panic for the retiree who is not prepared to withstand these financial forces. Diversification can provide you with a comfort level in retirement that will allow you to not only sleep at night, but also ride out difficult times without jumping from investment to investment trying to chase the latest “hot sector.

Most of us look forward to the time when we can retire. Retirement often comes with a steady paycheck from the government in the form of Social Security. Collecting Social Security may seem as easy as filling out a few forms. But without planning and careful consideration, you could be missing out on some big bucks in retirement.

Many women seem comfortable leaving their long-term finances and retirement planning to their husbands. If in the past you've taken a backseat to your husband in terms of your family's finances, it's time to get in the driver's seat. Here are four areas women should focus on. Budgeting and Savings — There is no easier way to move yourself and your family toward financial freedom than tracking your expenses.

Real estate has certainly seen some ups and downs over the past ten years. Anyone who purchased property five years ago knows the painful lessons of investing in an up market. However, investing in real estate when prices are low can be very rewarding for the patient investor. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when purchasing real estate in a down market: Be patient: Patience is certainly a virtue when you are buying while everyone else is selling.

A bear market (a term to describe a period when the stock market is off 20% or more from its highs) is an inevitable part of investing. On average, a bear market can be expected once every three years. A bear market may seem troubling at the time, but by keeping a cool head you can use a down turn in the market to your advantage.

Although fluctuations in economics markets are extremely difficult to predict, good times always follow the bad. How can you take advantage of personal investing opportunities when economic recovery arrives? Follow these five steps to make the most of an economic turnaround when you invest. Don’t wait for confirmation of economic recovery before you invest: Historically, markets have recovered long before the economy.

Investing a portion of your income while in your 20s can reap tremendous benefits when you are older, if you plan properly. Here are five things you can do to maximize your investments in your 20s. Save as much as possible — Although you may not earn as much as you’d like in your 20s, time — more than large sums of money — is your greatest ally.