Retirement Planning Associates, Westlake Village, CA

Welcome to our Web site, where you’ll find a wealth of information in the form of newsletter articles, calculators, and research reports.

We hope your visit will help you understand the opportunities and potential rewards that are available when you take a proactive approach to your personal financial situation.

We’re here to help educate you about the concepts of financial management; to help you learn more about who we are; and to give you fast, easy access to market performance data. We hope you take advantage of this resource and visit us often.

Federal Income Tax

This calculator can help you estimate your annual federal income tax liability.

Cost of Retirement

Use this calculator to estimate how much income and savings you may need in retirement.

Impact of Inflation

Estimate the future cost of an item based on today’s prices and the rate of inflation you expect.

Mortgage Refinancing

Determine whether you should consider refinancing your mortgage.

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HOT TOPIC: Eye on Japan's Recovery Within a Recovery

Japan’s economy hasn’t been on solid ground since the 1990s, but now it must grapple with rebuilding after an earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident that have caused economic losses expected to surpass $300 billion. What is the outlook for Japan and the effects the nation's disasters could have on the world economy and financial markets?

Be Ready for a Change in Interest Rates

Fluctuating interest rates can be challenging for bond investors who want to reinvest their principal. When rates are low, they may have to accept lower yields; when rates rise when principal is tied up, they may not be able to benefit. One strategy to help manage reinvestment risk is to build a bond ladder.

Finding a Good Time to Invest

When a prominent stock market index closes above an important threshold, many investors who have been sitting on the sidelines may see it as good time to invest, but they may have missed a significant part of the rally. Waiting for the "right" moment to invest could prove to be a costly and ineffective strategy.

Growth, Value, or Both

The average annual return for large-cap value stocks was about 2.1% higher than for large-cap growth stocks, yet growth stocks outperformed value stocks in 13 out of 30 years. This article examines the difference between the two approaches and describes why holding both may help investors take advantage of a variety of market conditions.

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