For retirees, it can sometimes feel like everyone wants a piece of your money. That’s why it’s important to do your due diligence when weighing investment opportunities.
Money magazine recently published a list of investment pitches to avoid – if you hear these phrases, tread with caution. From Money:
1. “What you need is a self-directed IRA.” If the people pushing self-directed IRAs recommended that you self-direct your IRA dough into low-cost index funds, I’d urge you to sign on. But the companies and advisers pushing self-directed IRAs typically tout them as a way to invest your retirement dollars in “alternative” or “nontraditional” investments that can range from cattle and fishing rights to restaurant franchises and bankruptcy claims, all in the name of diversification. “Di-worse-ification” is more likely. State securities regulators even warn that some promoters may step over the line into illicit investments or activities.
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2. “I can get you high yields safely!” Given today’s low interest rates, who wouldn’t take this bait? Problem is, the combination of high yields and low risk is an oxymoron. Fatter yields and higher returns always come with greater risk, even if that risk isn’t apparent or is being downplayed by the person peddling the investment. Which means pushing the envelope for more yield can backfire. Just think back to 2008, when investors got burned in auction-rate securities, bank loan funds. and other investments that were marketed as cash equivalents.
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3. “Don’t risk your money on the volatile stock market—buy gold.” The gold fanatics haven’t been out in force lately because the stock market has been doing so well, up an annualized 20% or so for the past three years. But the gold bugs will resurface big time once stocks hit an extended period of turbulence or experience a major 2008-style meltdown. That’s when you’ll hear phrases like “nothing holds its value like gold” and “gold provides a safe haven against stock market volatility.”
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4. “For retirement peace of mind, buy yourself guaranteed income.” There’s actually a lot of truth to this statement. Research shows that retirees who get a monthly check for life from a traditional pension are more content than those who have the same level of wealth but only a 401(k). The problem is that many of the people touting the virtues of guaranteed income are often peddling variable annuities with income riders that can carry bloated fees of 2% to 3% a year, and are devilishly complicated to boot.
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5. Forget bonds—you can live off stock dividends! Unfortunately, it’s not just wrong-headed advisers who spout the line that dividend-paying stocks are a reasonable substitute these days to bonds. Many of my compadres in the financial press also create the impression that putting more money into dividend stocks is an acceptable way to generate extra income now that bond yields are so low. Granted, bond yields are anemic. And when interest rates rise (whenever that may be), bond prices will take a hit, with longer-maturity bonds getting whacked more than short- to intermediate-term issues.
What are the safer alternatives to these pitches? Read the Money article to find out.
Photo by http://401kcalculator.org
