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Social Security may be a critical component of your financial strategy in retirement, so before you begin taking it, you should consider three important questions. The answers may affect whether you make the most of this retirement income source.

Actor Lee Marvin once said, “As soon as people see my face on a movie screen, they [know] two things: first, I’m not going to get the girl, and second, I’ll get a cheap funeral before the picture is over.”

The American family with a child born today can expect to spend about $233,610 to raise that child to the age of 18.¹ And if you’ve already traded that supercharged convertible dream for a minivan, you can expect your little one’s college education to cost as much as $198,000.²

Investment inaction is played out in many ways, often silently, invisibly, and with potential consequence to an individual’s financial future.

Let’s review some of the forms this takes.

According to Giving USA 2018, Americans gave an estimated $410.02 billion to charity in 2017. That’s the first time that the amount has totaled more that $400 billion in the history of the report.

Americans give to charity for two main reasons: to support a cause or organization they care about or to leave a legacy through their support.

For many people, retirement income may come from a variety of sources. Here’s a quick review of the six main sources:

High net worth investors face investment challenges that some would consider unique to their financial status. The fundamental tenets of investing apply just as equally to them as any other investor, but these investors need to be mindful of issues that typically arise only from substantial wealth.

Let’s examine a few of these.

While nature offers four seasons, Wall Street offers only one – four times a year. It’s called “earnings season,” and it can move the markets. So, what is earnings season, and why is it important?

Knowledgeable investors are aware that investing in the capital markets presents any number of risks – interest-rate risk, company risk, and market risk. Risk is an inseparable companion to the potential for long-term growth. Some of the investment risks we face can be mitigated through diversification.[1]

Social Security has been a pillar of retirement life for several decades, but how much do you really know about it? Here are a handful of facts that might surprise you: