What if you had a magic calculator that could tell you just when to get into the market and when to get out? That would certainly be a popular gift item, but there's one problem. No such thing exists! That doesn't stop MILLIONS of people with money in the stock market from trying to TIME IT. JP Morgan's new retirement guide points out what many researchers have already discovered: if you are out of the market at the wrong times, you will destroy your overall returns. In fact, if you missed only the TEN best days of the market over the past ten YEARS, your return would have been cut in HALF. If you missed the twenty best days, your return would be negative!! Find out how to build a REAL strategy with your investments today in a fact filled Market Intel Segment. Then senior mortgage officer Mitch Boxberger joins us! Don't miss it, MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!

The New Secure act passed by Congress and signed into law in December by President Trump has some good news and somebad news, depending on the size of your IRA accounts, and whether or not you want to leave money to heirs with a bit of tax savings. The Stretch IRA is gone, and some people can wait until age 72 to begin their RMDs, but others can't. We'll discuss that in the Market Intel segment followed by estate planning attorney Libby Banks who will explain why many trusts, perhaps yours, will need to be reworded to match the rules of the new legislation. You don't want to miss this fact filled show ...MASTERING MONEY IS ON THE AIR!!

Nothing is a bargain in this world unless it serves a purpose and helps you achieve a goal.   Managing your own money to save a fee can work, but we all know the do-it-yourself approach seems to work BEST when markets are RISING! Rising markets tend to lift ALL boats.   As the saying goes, in a bull market, EVERYONE  is a genius!  But the real measure of how well your portfolio is being managed is not so much when markets are UP, but more when markets fall flat and then reverse. How do you KNOW if your money is in the right place? Well, lets put it this way. If you find yourself FEARING the next bear market rather than relishing the idea, your money is probably allocated poorly. Today, we'll review the FOUR KEY QUESTIONS you should be asking yourself right now, and how to arrive at clear answers!  MASTERING MONEY  is on the air!!!

Most of us can agree on one main goal for 2020: make life simpler and easier.  Behavioral economists have proven that the best financial decisions are those that are pre-considered and then AUTOMATED. If your bills get deducted on auto-pay, you are never late with a bill. Your credit score goes up. You never pay late fees.   If your strong 401(k) contribution is automatically deducted from your paycheck for 30 years, you end up a millionaire at retirement. Today we'll outline how to get your money running like a well oiled machine--one where you get PAID to own your investments, and you prevent life surprises from turning into financial emergencies! You're going to love today's show MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!!

Is it better to invest in Dividend Paying stocks or stocks that don’t pay a dividend? The answer is ….YES!..BOTH are good and diversification is a good thing!  Smart dividend investors are very picky about the stocks they select. They like getting paid to own their stocks, and they like owning companies that keep making profits and growing their sales year after year. Today we'll discuss how make sure your stocks meet written stipulations for dividend yield, dividend payout ratio, dividend growth rate, debt ratios, earnings growth, and credit ratings. You don't want to miss that! Then health insurance and medicare expert Shelley Grandidge joins us for the Q & A. Get ready, MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!!

We all know the difference between a mutual fund, a pension, and a savings account . You don’t spend too much time thinking about what a savings account IS, but rather, what it DOES for you. The same with a pension. A pension has one purpose: to pay you an income you can never outlive. Easy stuff. Mutual funds have typically one main purpose: to help you try to grow your money, but with more risk than a bank account or a pension. So, what is an annuity? Well, it can combine all of these features in one instrument. Today, we'll break down the basics of annuities to help make them simple and easy to understand. A fact filled show you don't want to miss, MASTERING MONEY is on the air!!!

Today on Mastering Money...It’s a MOTLEY FOOL MONDAY!! The Motley Fool Money Show is one of the most popular stock market talk shows in America, featuring top market experts and heard by millions of listeners coast to coast—including Saturdays right here on Money Radio! After an update of the markets and today's breaking financial news stories, we'll take you to an exclusive broadcast of the Motley Fool Money Show--plus money-making and money-SAVING ideas from Steve you won't want to miss! -- MASTERING MONEY IS ON THE AIR!