Educational Videos
What's Your Risk Tolerance?
Risk tolerance is the level of risk, or market ups and downs, an investor is willing and able to tolerate. An aggressive investor, one with a high risk tolerance, is willing to risk greater loss to potentially maximize returns, while...
Protect Your Portfolio With Diversification
Just like the old warning against putting all of your eggs in one basket, if you put all your money in one company stock and it dropped like a rock, you’d lose everything. Diversification can help protect your portfolio from...
How to Double Your Money
People often ask us, “How long will it take to double my money?” You can find the answer with the rule of 72. Here’s how it works. Compounding interest is the interest you earn on a growing amount of money. To find...
How to Set and Keep Financial Goals
Written goals are your road map to financial success. Be specific, simple, and realistic and include time frames and dollar amounts. Have some big goals and some small ones. Include a savings plan and an emergency fund. Pay off...
How to Strategize for Your Social Security Benefits
As life expectancy has grown, your retirement now can last between 20 and 30 years. So Social Security planning is critical, no matter how much money you have. It can make a difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars. For example,...
What Is Smart Householding
“Householding” is about getting a complete view of all your accounts and holdings. But what’s a view without action? “Smart-householding” takes this view a step further by coordinating all these accounts...
Two Important Steps Toward Emergency and Disaster Planning
If you faced sudden evacuation of your home, would you be prepared to grab all your important documents and items on your way out the door? Few of us would be clear headed enough to know what we need, and where to find it, in a time...
What to Look for in Long-Term Care Insurance
Thousands of Baby Boomers are retiring each day, and many are wondering about the possibility of having to pay for expensive long term care. Long term care insurance was created to cover the costs of skilled nursing, assisted living...
Why Is Asset Allocation Important to Investing?
To keep your investment portfolio on target for financial goals, you want to balance risk and diversify your assets. That’s the purpose of asset allocation – the process of dividing your portfolio among major categories...
What Type of Life Insurance Do I Need
A life insurance policy protects your loved ones against the loss of your income after your death, and helps to preserve their standard of living. You’ll name a beneficiary to receive the proceeds, and in exchange, you’ll...
What Can You Do With an Inherited IRA?
If you’ve become the beneficiary of an IRA or other retirement account, it’s important to know your options. You can take the money out in one lump sum. This requires opening an account called an Inherited IRA in your name...
Reverse Mortgage - Is It Right for You?
As life expectancy has grown, your retirement now can last between 20 and 30 years. So Social Security planning is critical, no matter how much money you have. It can make a difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars. For example,...
How to Avoid an IRA Rollover Mistake
If you’re changing jobs or retiring, it’s important to know the rules regarding moving funds from your employer sponsored retirement plan. The wrong move could cost you in income taxes and early withdrawal penalties. You...
How Money Savvy Are You?
You don’t have to be a math whiz or know how to pick stocks to become savvy about money. Being savvy about money is more about being engaged, understanding what you want and having a plan designed for your life. And it all...
What is a 1035 Exchange?
A 1035 exchange is a provision in the tax code that allows you, as a policyholder, to transfer funds from a life insurance, endowment or annuity to a new policy, without having to pay taxes. The IRS allows holders of these types of...
5 Important Medicare Facts for Pre-Retirees
Most Americans who turn 65 are eligible for Medicare, a federal program that covers many health expenses for seniors. But the program is complicated. Here are 5 important facts you need to know: First – Medicare is not free. Of...
How Dollar cost Averaging Can Help You Make Smart Investments
Dollar cost averaging is a stock market investing technique where you buy a fixed dollar amount of a particular investment on a regular schedule, regardless of the share price. More shares are purchased when prices are low and fewer...
Is Estate Planning Only for the Rich?
You’ve worked so hard to build your net worth, but it could fall into a sinkhole if you don’t do estate planning. Estate planning isn’t just for the rich, it is a necessity for everyone, and estate plan will allow...
How to Be Tax Efficient With Your Investments
Tax efficient investing involves strategies to help reduce the impact of taxes. Investments have three tax flavors: taxable, tax-deferred and tax-exempt. Taxable requires gains to be paid as they are earned each year. These include...
About Oculus Financial Group
At Oculus Financial, we use our keen eye and experience to help guide clients through the minutiae of the financial world no matter the goal. Jason chose name and logo for Oculus Financial during this time in the United States Marine...
When Does a Roth Conversion Make Sense?
With a traditional IRA, you may qualify for a tax deduction when you invest your money. But later, when you take the money out in retirement, all those distributions are taxed. The Roth IRA is the opposite. It has no deduction when...
What Is an Annuity and How Does It Guarantee Income?
What are annuities and how do they work? Annuities are both a savings and an income investment that pays out over a period of time. It’s actually a steam of income you can’t outlive. An annuity is a flexible insurance...
What Are Required Minimum Distributions?
What are required minimum distributions and how are they determined? Beginning at age 72 and you must begin to withdraw money from your retirement accounts every year. The amount is determined based on your life expectancy. As...
How to Protect Yourself From Identity Theft
What is the real cost of identity theft? It goes beyond just financial loss. In the past, identity theft happened when someone stole your wallet or picked through your trash or your mail. Today’s theft is much more sophisticated...
Opportunity in Crisis
These challenging times are filled with uncertainty… record job losses, constant market fluctuations and insurance coverage that suddenly might seem inadequate. By taking the time to objectively evaluate your current situation...
5 Common Mistakes to Avoid in Retirement
You’ve been saving for your retirement for decades. Don’t undermine your own plans by making these 5 common mistakes when you retire. First, don’t retire too soon. Lifespans are increasing and many retirees...
What's Your Risk Tolerance?
Risk tolerance is the level of risk, or market ups and downs, an investor is willing and able to tolerate. An aggressive investor, one with a high risk tolerance, is willing to risk greater loss to potentially maximize returns, while...
Protect Your Portfolio with Diversification
Risk tolerance is the level of risk, or market ups and downs, an investor is willing and able to tolerate. An aggressive investor, one with a high risk tolerance, is willing to risk greater loss to potentially maximize returns, while...
How to Double Your Money
People often ask us, “How long will it take to double my money?” You can find the answer with the rule of 72. Here’s how it works. Compounding interest is the interest you earn on a growing amount of money. To find...
How to Set and Keep Financial Goals
Written goals are your road map to financial success. Be specific, simple, and realistic and include time frames and dollar amounts. Have some big goals and some small ones. Include a savings plan and an emergency fund. Pay off...
How to Strategize for Your Social Security Benefits
Oculus Financial Group (707) 230-6525 As life expectancy has grown, your retirement now can last between 20 and 30 years. So Social Security planning is critical, no matter how much money you have. It can make a difference of hundreds...