Mr. Stillman's Opus John Stillman

We’re just a few months away from another election and everyone anticipates it being another year, so what does that mean for your investments? When uncertainty starts to increase, there’s often a strong marketing push for buying gold, but is now a good time to do that?
Today we’ll answer that question with a discussion on the role of gold in your portfolio as we prepare for election year madness. Uncover the truths behind gold's historical performance and whether it truly is the investment armor against volatile markets.
This isn’t just a question for election years so let’s break down the truth behind gold as an investment.
 
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
0:00 - Intro
1:19 – Gold’s return over time
3:50 – The marketing behind buying gold
5:51 – Apocalypse preparation
7:39 – ‘This time is different’
 
Connect with us:
Web: https://rosewoodwealthmanagement.com/
Phone: 919-391-3446

As you approach retirement or begin that next stage of life, the financial goals shift to protecting what you’ve saved. There are different ways to accomplish that goal, but with the volatility we’ve seen from the market, does it make sense to move to cash to be safe?
Here’s the question we’ll tackle in this video:
I haven’t decided on a specific retirement date yet, but hopefully it will be sometime in the next four years. With all of the recent market volatility, should I just move my retirement savings to cash until everything blows over?
We’ll provide context for this conversation by looking back at the market in the past few years and then explain how we help people answer this question.

A common situation that many couples have to face is one spouse being older than the other and worrying about how to protect them financially should something happen. What’s the best way to ensure they are taken care of after you’re gone? Is a big life insurance policy a good option?
In this video, John will weigh in on this scenario and answer a question that we recently received:
I’m not planning on dying anytime soon, but my wife is nine years younger than me and I want to be sure that she’s taken care of when I’m gone. Should I take out a big life insurance policy on myself?
Find out how to determine if life insurance makes sense and what type of policy you might need.

For most people, investing strategies change as you age because you want to protect what you’ve earned rather than chasing bigger returns. But what if you have more than you’ll need for retirement in your IRA? Is that a time when being aggressive makes sense or should you still take a more conservative approach?
In this video, we’ll be answering a question we recently received with this scenario:
I’m in my 70s and it doesn’t seem that I’ll be needing any of the money in my IRA, although I do have to take RMDs each year. I know that it breaks all of the rules for someone in their 70s to be an aggressive investor, but since I don’t need the money, it’s ok if I’m aggressive, right?
Join us as John answers the questions and explains how he would work through this situation with Nina to help her get the most out of her money.

As much as any other threat, recognizing and avoiding scams has become a necessary skill for today’s retirees to develop. Technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, which makes it more and more difficult to stay on top of the latest scams. This episode will highlight the most common financial scams being used right now to help you better recognize when you’re being targeted.
Join us as we explore crucial steps you can take to safeguard your financial well-being against the growing tide of scams and identity theft. Learn from real-life stories and gain practical advice to keep your finances secure in this digital era, all from the perspective of a seasoned financial professional.
 
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
0:00 – Intro
1:56 – Phishing
6:35 – Government scams
8:43 – Sweepstakes
10:30 – Grandparent scams
13:10 – Romance scams
16:00 – What to do if you fall victim
 
Connect with us:
Web: https://rosewoodwealthmanagement.com/
Phone: 919-391-3446

It’s not all that uncommon to hear from someone who was given the option of a severance package and pension buyout years ahead of when they actually planned on leaving work to retire. Is it worth taking the offer and leaving your job or does it make more sense to continue working?
 
We received a question recently from someone in this situation:
I’m 60 and have been given two options at work. Keep working and retire in 5-6 years with a pension, or I can retire now and take a severance package & a pension buyout. How do I weigh my options?
More and more Americans in their 50s and 60s are being forced into an early retirement so let’s talk about how to figure out which option is going to be best for you. It can be an overwhelming decision, especially if you have to make it in 30 or 60 days, and this video will give you a few things to consider if you face this same scenario.