Many people underestimate lifestyle costs, medical expenses and inflation. What is enough? What is not enough? If you’re considering retiring in the near future, you’ve probably heard or read that you need about 70% of your end salary to live comfortably in retirement. This estimate is...
Who might want to take advantage of it? Who might not? Do you have a Thrift Savings Plan account? Then you should know about an important new development. Starting in spring 2012, FERS and CSRS employees will be able to have two types of balances in...
WEEKLY QUOTE“He who lives by the crystal ball soon learns to eat ground glass.” - Edgar Fiedler WEEKLY TIP At a 4% rate of inflation, expenses will double every 18 years. That’s a pretty good argument for growth investing in retirement. WEEKLY RIDDLE Take one letter out of a 7-letter word and it...
What could that money do for you? Is a tax refund coming your way? If you have already received your refund for 2012 or are about to receive it, you might want to think about the destiny of that money. Here are some possibilities. Start (or add...
April is nearly here. Keep your IRA in mind. Many of us associate April with taxes. We should also associate it with IRAs, for April is the month with the deadlines for IRA contributions and mandatory IRA withdrawals. The deadline for your 2010 IRA contribution is April...
WEEKLY QUOTE“It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.” - Albert Einstein WEEKLY TIP Succession planning isn’t just about an orderly ownership transition. It is also about tax efficiency. Waiting too long can mean paying more...
What kind of relief will it offer? Big news, but will it make a big difference? On February 9, the Justice Department announced it had struck a settlement approaching $26 billion with the major U.S. mortgage servicers. This is the biggest multi-state settlement of any kind...
Little details worth paying attention to as April approaches. Every year, the IRS institutes big and little changes – and some don’t get as much notice as they should. This year is no exception. Here is a rundown of some of alterations and asterisks affecting taxpayers...
President Obama’s envisioned tax reforms could hurt wealthy retirees. On Capitol Hill, a rough consensus is starting to emerge: a feeling that the corporate tax rate should be reduced to help U.S. firms stay globally competitive. At the same time, President Obama’s 2013 federal budget proposes...
How does the President want to modify tax rates? The wealthiest taxpayers could be hit hard if the tax hikes in President Obama’s 2013 federal budget proposal become law. The good news is that the tax changes outlined by the President in mid-February may be softened...