How well off do you think you are financially? If your career or life takes an unexpected turn, would your finances hold up? What do you think will become of the money you’ve made and saved when you are gone? These are major questions, and most people can’t answer them as quickly as they would…
Read MoreTimes have changed – and so have financial advisors. Today, people don’t want financial advice from a salesman. Instead, they want a relationship with a financial professional who is candid, trustworthy and thoroughly educated, and who provides personalized financial consulting for each client. That search often leads them to a fee-based or fee-only financial advisor…
Read MoreGeneralizations about money & retirement linger. Some have been around for decades, and some new clichés have recently joined their ranks. Let’s examine a few of the top retirement myths. “When I’m retired, I won’t really have to invest anymore.” Many people see retirement as an end instead of a beginning – a finish line…
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Will this be your future? Did you know that 30% of American women age 65 and older rely on Social Security for 90% or more of their incomes? Did you know that SSI represents virtually the only source of income for 36% of unmarried, divorced or widowed American women who are 65 and older? As…
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When you tie the knot, your financial lives will change. Marriage is one of those life events that can really affect your money and tax situation. If you are about to wed, here are a couple of things you’ll want to consider when it comes to taxes and household cash flow. You can now elect…
Read MoreIf you have saved and invested consistently for retirement, you may find yourself ready to leave work on your terms – with abundant free time, new opportunities, and wonderful adventures ahead of you. The thing to keep in mind is that the reality of your retirement may not always correspond to your conception of retirement.…
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How many of us save and invest with an eye on tax implications? Not that many of us, according to a recent survey from Russell Investments (the global asset manager overseeing the Russell 2000). In the opening quarter of 2014, Russell polled financial services professionals and asked them how many of their clients had inquired…
Read MoreIf your loved ones have invested, saved or insured themselves to any degree, you may be named as a beneficiary to one or more of their accounts, policies or assets in the event of their deaths. While we all hope “that day” never comes, we do need to know what to do financially if and…
Read MoreFederal workers and military personnel are offered a supplemental retirement savings plan to complement their pensions – the Thrift Savings Plan, or TSP. Just how well does it measure up to other forms of popular retirement accounts? Picture a 401(k) or 403(b) with five fund choices. In a nutshell, that is what the TSP resembles.…
Read MoreIf you spend two years or less at a series of jobs, is that a problem? Shouldn’t your resume signal loyalty instead of transience? Well, maybe it isn’t a problem. Maybe you are doing yourself a financial favor instead, especially in this decade. Maybe the conventional wisdom about getting ahead is flawed. The era of…
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