WEEKLY QUOTE“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change. - Jim Rohn WEEKLY TIP New parents should check to see if they qualify for child tax credits and other family tax benefits for tax years 2012 and 2013. WEEKLY RIDDLE Two men played five games...
WEEKLY QUOTE“There are two ways to live life. The first is as if nothing is a miracle. The second is as if everything is a miracle.” - Albert Einstein WEEKLY TIP Retirees should remember that their assets may last longer if distributions are taken from taxable accounts first, then...
A thoughtful financial move for a loved one with a disability. If you have a child with special needs or care for an adult relative who is mentally or physically challenged, you face long-run financial demands. In all probability, federal and state assistance won’t help you...
WEEKLY QUOTE “We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” - Aristotle WEEKLY TIP How financially literate are your children? Encourage them to read up on investing and money matters before they turn 18. WEEKLY RIDDLE I am gentle enough to soothe the skin,...
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...