The Allure and Myth of Safety In Homer’s Odyssey, a wayward Odysseus and crew voyage past an island of beautiful mermaids called Sirens. The Sirens sing the sweetest of songs, the ancient equivalent of “Call Me Maybe”, bewitching passing sailors. Those mesmerized are blind to the bones littering the island, for the Sirens were in fact monsters that devoured their hapless victims. When approaching retirement, there are few Siren songs as strong as the promise of safety. It compels retirees to flock toward guaranteed interest products such as cash, CDs or money markets. When stocks and bonds toss your nest…

Most news related to financial planning for the last few years has been exclusively focused on the Department of Labor’s push to force the fiduciary standard upon the industry. For now, this push has been stymied. Though the proposed regulations were far from perfect the DOL did have its heart in the right place. I’m of the belief that clients are best served in working with a fiduciary, someone legally required to advance their clients’ interests ahead of their own. Even if the fiduciary standard finds its footing in the mainstream, it probably doesn’t go far enough. The financial planning…