How good a year was it for the economy? Statistics tell the tale. Was 2013 a terrific year for stocks? Absolutely. The good news wasn’t limited to Wall Street, however: the employment rate fell, the economy revved up, home prices rose and inflation pressure was minimal. Bulls...
Some may be renewed, others may not be. At the end of every year, certain federal tax breaks face a sunset. Some are renewed, some expire. As 2014 will soon start, here is a list of some of notable tax provisions that may go away next...
If anything happens to you, your family has someone to consult. If you weren’t around, what would happen to your investments? In many families, one person handles investment decisions, and spouses or children have little comprehension of what happens each week, month or year with a...
Help the causes you care about & help your finances in the process. An opportunity for you to give & save. As 2013 ends, you may be considering making one or more charitable gifts. In most instances, they are tax-deductible with benefits for the donor as...
If you’re 40 or 50 and haven’t begun, you must make the effort. Some people start saving for retirement at 20, 25, or 30. Others start later, and while their accumulated assets will have fewer years of compounding to benefit from, that shouldn’t discourage them to...
Are memories of the downturn hurting the financial potential of boomers? At the end of October, the S&P 500 was up 24.39% in the past 12 months. What investor wouldn’t want gains like that? As uplifting as that market advance was for many, some baby boomers...
Next year’s small COLA isn’t the only adjustment related to the program. Here are six things you need to know about Social Security for 2014. For clarity’s sake, here is a rundown of what is changing next year, and what isn’t. Social Security recipients are getting a...
WEEKLY QUOTE“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.”- Michael Jordan WEEKLY TIP If your business is past its inception stage, it isn’t too early to think about an exit strategy. You want to tackle this task...
A reminder about mandatory withdrawals from IRAs & other retirement plans. Just what is an RMD? After you turn 70½, the IRS requires you to withdraw some of the money in most retirement savings accounts each year. These withdrawals are officially called Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).1 You...
A summary of what you need to know. Medicare Open Enrollment has arrived. The open enrollment period for 2014 runs from October 15-December 7, 2013. This is not only a period where you may enroll for the program, but also switch providers for your comprehensive health...