Before you make any extra mortgage payments, consider some factors. Should you own your home free and clear before you retire? At first glance, the answer would seem to be “absolutely, if at all possible.” Retiring with less debt … isn’t that a good thing? Why...
We will all leave this world sometime. Why leave unanswered questions with those we love? We all want to live a significant, successful life. Yet how many of us realize that our important, positive contributions can last long after we are gone? Two things are certain: death...
Create a pool of healthcare dollars that will grow in any market. How will you pay for long term care? The sad fact is that most people don’t know the answer to that question. But a solution is available. As baby boomers leave their careers behind, long...
It can reveal hidden flaws and help you improve the 401(k) plan. Why do companies request specialized audits of their 401(k)s? After all, the standard annual audit that large companies routinely attach to Form 5500s may seem adequate. Yet a specialized audit may reveal things that...
If you’ve turned 70 and have a Traditional IRA, please read this. Federal law requires you to withdraw money from Traditional IRAs (and inherited Roth IRAs) at age 70½. (If you don’t make a withdrawal, you’ll owe a 50% penalty on the amount you should have...
Rolling the dice on returns. When a man walks into a casino in Monte Carlo and rolls a pair of dice at the craps table, he has a 1 in 36 chance (62=36) of the dice lying face up in any particular combination. He knows this because...
Are you taking full advantage of your company’s 401(k)? The 401(k) plan is one of the most widely-utilized wealth creation tools offered Americans. These retirement savings plans have several advantages, including dollar cost averaging, tax savings and tax deferral. However, one of the most powerful advantages...
Why might the wealthy be directing more money into this middle-class bedrock? For generations, Americans have thought of life insurance as a midlife purchase of the middle class. Today, that perception is less accurate. Wealthier Americans seem to be buying more life insurance. Affluent individuals are recognizing...
There’s nothing like doing your homework and being selective. When we buy a car or a house, consider a school for our children, or plan our next vacation, what kind of approach do we take? For one thing, we take our time. We shop around and...
A new perception has taken hold: “independent” is better. That search often leads them to a fee-based or fee-only financial advisor. A pleasant alternative to Wall Street. A paradigm shift is happening, and the traditional brokerage houses are lagging. While old-school “stock brokers” have gone the way...