Isn’t 65 the traditional retirement age? Perhaps, but baby boomers are modifying the definition of a traditional retirement (if not redefining it altogether). The Social Security Administration has subtly revised its definition of the traditional retirement age as well. If you glance at the SSA website, the “full” retirement age for Americans born from 1943-1954…
Read MoreLocation, location, location … It matters when it comes to real estate, and it also matters when it comes to the way you hold and invest your retirement savings. You can’t control what happens with the tax code, but you can control how your savings are held. As various types of investments are taxed at…
Read MoreA little phrase that may mean a big difference. When you read about investing and other financial topics, you occasionally see the phrase “tax efficiency” or a reference to a “tax-sensitive” way of investing. What does that really mean? The after-tax return vs. the pre-tax return. Everyone wants their investment portfolio to perform well. But…
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Is a tax refund coming your way? If you have already received your refund for the 2013 tax year or are about to receive it, you might want to think about the destiny of that money. Here are some possibilities. Start (or add to) an emergency fund. Many people don’t have a dedicated rainy day…
Read MoreBy Tali Wee of Zillow Understanding the terms and conditions of a lease agreement is an essential part of being a responsible renter. During a typical signing process, the prospective renter and landlord sit down to review the details of a rental unit and accompanying agreement terms. Before signing, a renter has every right…
Read MoreSome retirees succeed at realizing the life they want, others don’t. Fate aside, it isn’t merely a matter of stock market performance or investment selection that makes the difference. There are certain dos and don’ts – some less apparent than others – that tend to encourage retirement happiness and comfort. Retire financially literate. Some retirees…
Read MoreHow many 401(k)s have more than $100k in them? According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), the average 401(k) balance at the end of 2012 was $63,929. Even with stocks rising last year, the average balance likely remains underwhelming. Is this enough money to retire on? No – and this is only part of…
Read MoreAn alternative to the common fund. People invest in mutual funds and exchange-traded funds all the time, but unit investment trusts (UITs) remain comparatively underappreciated and unrecognized. They really aren’t that mysterious, and their popularity is growing – in fact, total net assets invested in unit trusts increased 151% during 2009-12. The word “trust” may…
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Financially, many of us associate April with taxes – but we should also associate April with important IRA deadlines. *April 1 is the absolute deadline to take an initial IRA Required Mandatory Distribution (RMD). *April 15 is the deadline for making annual contributions to a traditional or Roth IRA. Let’s discuss the contribution deadline first,…
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Many are the stories of family wealth lost. In the late 19th century, industrial tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt amassed the equivalent of $100 billion in today’s dollars – but when 120 of his descendants met at a family gathering in 1973, there were no millionaires among them. Barbara Woolworth Hutton – daughter of the founder of…
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