March 2021 Main Event

Retirement Planning in Unprecedented Times
Christine Benz, Director of Personal Finance, Morningstar, Inc.
The pandemic and related economic weakness have implications for many aspects of retirement planning. Older adults have experienced higher rates of unemployment and may be contemplating early retirement, which can stress a portfolio and lead to suboptimal Social Security claiming decisions. Meanwhile, yields on "safe" securities have dropped significantly, creating challenges for income-focused investors. Finally, the pandemic has had repercussions for Social Security and long-term care planning. This wide-ranging presentation will delve into these issues and provide concrete takeaways for people affected by them. Attendees will learn:
  • What "retirement date risk" is and how to mitigate its impact on portfolio sustainability
  • The role of income-producing investments in a portfolio given today's very low yields
  • How to protect against non-portfolio risk factors, including long-term care risk
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Morningstar's Best Ideas for 2021 and Beyond
Christine Benz, Director of Personal Finance, Morningstar, Inc.
In this presentation, Morningstar director of personal finance will examine the stock and bond markets based on various metrics: expected returns for the major asset classes, bottom-up valuations, and Morningstar's rating system. She'll then highlight segments of the market, and in turn stocks, mutual funds, and ETFs, that currently look attractive based on Morningstar's bottom-up view. She'll also highlight market segments that look relatively expensive at this time. Attendees will learn:
  • What various investment firms--Morningstar and others--are expecting from the major asset classes over the next decade
  • What Morningstar's price/fair values suggest about overall market valuation, and which segments of the market look under- or overvalued at this time
  • Morningstar's best ideas for personal finance, including Roth conversions and other strategies for taking advantage of today's low tax rates
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Biography:Christine Benz is director of personal finance for Morningstar and senior columnist for Morningstar.com. She is author of “30-Minute Money Solutions: A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Your Finances” (Wiley, 2010). Benz is also co-author of “Morningstar Guide to Mutual Funds: 5-Star Strategies for Success,” a national bestseller published in 2003, and author of the book’s second edition, which was published in 2005. Before assuming her current role in 2008, Benz also served as Morningstar’s director of mutual fund analysis. She has served as editor of several of Morningstar’s publications over the years, including PracticalFinance, Morningstar Mutual Funds and Morningstar FundInvestor. She has worked as an analyst and editor at Morningstar since 1993.

How to Attend:

Due to COVID-19, meetings are webcast. Please see below to register on EventBrite, and then join remotely online via Zoom. You must pre-register on EventBrite: To attend by web:
  • Zoom meeting instructions will be emailed to all registered participants.
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