With this recent market turmoil, are annuities the answer to the problem for your portfolio?  I don't think they are the key to fixing your portfolio, but stabilizing it.  Annuities offer you either a fixed or variable rate of return.  Here are a few articles that might give you a more content answer to rather or not you should invest in an annuity.

Are annuities right for you?

Annuities - Are They Really a Safe Investment Alternative?

Why Buy Annuities

hat’s a Roth IRA? It’s an individual retirement arrangement (aka retirement savings account) you fund with after-tax dollars. The money you contribute goes into your account and continues to grow without you having to pay any tax related costs. In other words, when the time comes for you to make a withdrawal, every cent you take out goes back into your wallet.  

Part of what makes Roth IRAs so appealing is its tax-friendly quality. But there are 3 major benefits of a Roth IRA:

• You can contribute money regardless of your age and for as long as you like

• You can leave the money in the account without having to make minimum monthly withdrawals (something you must do with traditional IRAS)

• You can withdraw money whenever you want for any reason (but if you’re younger than 59½ you’ll face early withdrawal penalties unless you can prove you have a qualifying reason such as college tuition, medical expenses, or a first-time home purchase).  

Thinking of starting a Roth IRA? If so you’ll need to make sure you meet these taxable income guidelines: Want to know the 3 benefits of Roth IRA's?

ow that you’re familiar with mutual funds, you’ll want to get comfortable with some of the common terms used when dealing with them. 

As a reminder, a mutual fund is a large compilation of individual stocks.  

Stocks – Shares a company sells to fund future business growth. When you purchase a share of stock, you own a fraction of the company.  

Diversification – Different kinds of stocks: growth and value, as well as stock representing large, small, and mid caps. To read the rest of this article click here