Save a little more for retirement. Time to boost your IRA balance. In 2013, you can contribute up to $5,500 to your Roth or traditional IRA. If you will be 50 or older by the end of 2013, your contribution limit is actually $6,500 this year...
WEEKLY QUOTE“Never mistake a clear view for a short distance.” - Paul Saffo WEEKLY TIP See if you can keep your essential expenses down to about 50% of your after-tax income. WEEKLY RIDDLE You can rearrange the letters in insatiable to make another ten-letter word that starts with...
Direct & indirect opportunities that don’t get enough ink. Besides periodic IRA contributions and elective salary deferrals into 401(k) and 403(b) plans, there are other ways to amass retirement savings, some of them often overlooked. Put tax refunds & tax savings to work. If you get a...
A varied portfolio is a hallmark of a savvy investor. You may be amused by the efforts of some of your friends and neighbors as they try to “chase the return” in the stock market. We all seem to know a day trader or two: someone...
If the fiscal cliff is averted, stocks may have all kinds of reasons to rise. What if the future is more bullish than the bears assume? With 2013 approaching, stock market volatility seems to have increased. Equities rise on optimistic remarks about a fiscal cliff solution,...
Conventional wisdom says yes, but there are exceptions. Shouldn’t you delay IRA distributions for as long as you can? According to conventional retirement planning wisdom, you should structure your retirement withdrawals so that money comes out of your taxable accounts first, then your tax-deferred accounts, and...
Behaviors worth changing for the New Year. Do bad money habits constrain your financial progress? Many people fall into the same financial behavior patterns year after year. If you sometimes succumb to these financial tendencies, the New Year is as good an occasion as any to...
WEEKLY QUOTE “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” - George Washington WEEKLY TIP Many people confuse Medicaid with Medicare. If you aren’t yet a senior, read up on both of these programs to learn the benefits they provide and the distinctions...
SBOs are taking a new look at old-school defined benefit plans. Contrary to popular belief, classic pension plans have not disappeared. Corporations have mostly jettisoned them, but highly profitable small businesses are giving them a second look. Why are small business owners deciding to adopt old-school,...
WEEKLY QUOTE“Growth itself contains the germ of happiness.” - Pearl S. Buck WEEKLY TIP Do your money decisions reflect your values? If they don’t, you can wind up conflicted, stressed out and unhappy. WEEKLY RIDDLE It is found in the ground, round as a circle and yards deeper than a...