Understanding how the Social Security system works at the margins can help you make better decisions, especially in situations that involve continued work, unexpected disability, or concern about the program’s long-term stability. Working Benefits: One question that often comes up is whether you can still work while receiving Social Security …

Unlike a traditional annuity you purchase from an insurance company or a pension, Social Security provides a government-backed, inflation-adjusted stream of income you can’t outlive. It is effectively the ultimate annuity, offering lifelong benefits without the high fees or loss of control that often come with commercial annuity products. That …

For individuals with highly appreciated investments and a desire to support charitable causes, a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) offers a strategic way to accomplish both goals. CRTs can be particularly advantageous for individuals with highly appreciated investments that are concentrated or produce a low level of current income. A CRT …

At Crawford, we have long believed the strongest wealth plans start with a well-built investment portfolio grounded in high-quality, income-producing investments. We are an objectives-based investment manager, focused on producing portfolios that can do just that: meet client objectives. For decades, our investment philosophy has centered on quality and consistency, …

Athletes and investors share a common pursuit: long-term success built on discipline, strategy, and adaptability. While talent plays a role, sustained excellence in sports, just like in investing, is the result of preparation, risk management, and consistency. Let’s explore what we can learn from various sports when it comes to …

This month marks the anniversary of one of the most famous financial bubbles in history: Tulipmania. Nearly 400 years ago, during the early 1600s in the Netherlands, speculation on tulip bulbs reached extraordinary levels. Prices soared as investors rushed to buy, convinced that the value of tulips would only rise …

As we turn the page on 2024 and move into 2025, there are inevitably rumblings of resolutions. As is always the case this time of year, people are pledging to do anything from saving more money, eating healthier, going to the gym more, or watching less TV. Many people hope …

In our previous Compound Interest series posts, we have discussed the concept of a Liquidity Bucket. This practice allows investors to protect their portfolio's ability to consistently provide for spending needs and avoid liquidating stocks when they are temporally down in value. As explained in our previous piece, owning investment …

One of the significant, real-world issues with investing in retirement is consistency and reliability of income. Every plan looks great when an advisor is pitching to a 25-year-old that they will be a millionaire by saving monthly and waiting a long time. After all, compound growth is a powerful force …

At Crawford, we have a common sense retirement planning solution that focuses on portfolio income and utilizes a proprietary liquidity bucket approach. This dovetails with our long-held investment philosophy of owning an adequately diversified balanced portfolio of dividend paying stocks and high-quality bonds to generate current and sustainable income in …

The 60/40 portfolio has long been the traditional framework for a balanced investment allocation, or at least a very popular starting point. It is believed by many that the combination of 60% stocks and 40% bonds will give investors exposure to the growth potential of stocks and the stability of …

At Crawford, a key tenet of our investment philosophy is the belief that investing in high-quality securities narrows the range of potential outcomes for our clients. Through narrowing the range of investment outcomes, we believe we improve the chances of success, mitigate the likelihood of adverse returns and limit the …