Financial Planning

Dec 18, 2024

The window of opportunity for many tax-saving moves closes on December 31, so it's important to evaluate your tax situation now, while there's still time to affect your bottom line for the 2024 tax year.

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Dec 16, 2024

Generally speaking, the IRS allows you to make your IRA contribution for a particular tax year up until April 15 of the following year.

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Dec 09, 2024

Here are some things to consider as you weigh potential tax moves between now and the end of the year.

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Dec 06, 2024

Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?

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Dec 03, 2024

The IRS just released the 2025 contribution limits for qualified retirement plans, such as your 401(k) plan.

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Nov 26, 2024

Maybe. It depends on your particular circumstances.

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Nov 20, 2024

Perhaps you've heard about individual retirement accounts (IRAs) but know little about what they are or how they can help you reach your retirement goals. To get you started, let's take a look at four basic facts about IRAs.

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Nov 11, 2024

Federal law limits the withdrawal options that a 401(k) plan can offer. But a 401(k) plan may offer fewer withdrawal options than the law allows,and may even provide that you can't take any money out at all until you leave employment. However, many 401(k) plans are more flexible.

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Nov 01, 2024

Many companies give new employees an automatic nudge to save for retirement. Like it not, you're enrolled in the company's 401(k) plan and have to opt out if you don't want to sock away money with every paycheck. To sweeten the pot, many companies match a portion of your contributions.

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Oct 28, 2024

Fall is the time for many of us to enroll (or re-enroll) in our employee benefits. It can also be a great time to review our overall financial plan, including decisions on healthcare coverage, retirement savings, life insurance and the other many benefits available.

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Oct 23, 2024

The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 provided homeowners who sell their principal residence an exclusion from capital gains taxes

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Oct 16, 2024

In the last few years, we've seen a flurry of new retirement rules and changes to tax law affecting retirement account contributions and withdrawals.

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Oct 07, 2024

These are not rigid rules but rather broad principles that can provide direction. In financial planning, one of the most efficient ways to assess retirement readiness is by applying the 4% drawdown rule.

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Oct 04, 2024

A law that took effect this year allows unused 529 funds to be transferred to Roth IRAs tax-free, up to certain limits.

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Oct 02, 2024

This is how to get your finances in order while working through grief after losing a spouse.

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Sep 27, 2024

Prematurely withdrawing from your retirement plan typically comes with a 10% penalty, but hardship withdrawals offer a valuable exception to this rule.

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Sep 25, 2024

Mistakes when rolling over your old 401(k) can be expensive and annoying. Sadly, these 401(k) rollover mistakes are also surprisingly common. On a happier note, they are easy to avoid.

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Sep 20, 2024

Though it may seem cumbersome to spend too much time on the math, particularly when income and 401(k) contribution limits may change each year, it might be worth it.

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Sep 09, 2024

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act) changed the rules for taking distributions from retirement accounts inherited after 2019.

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Sep 05, 2024

You can, but it isn't your best option. Your 401(k) plan should be dedicated primarily to your retirement.

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Aug 30, 2024

It’s one of the major financial decisions confronting older workers: What should I do with my 401(k) plan once I retire?

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Aug 16, 2024

Some young adults are more suited to a trade that will let them work with their hands, whereas others should hit the ground running in an industry that doesn't require a degree at all.

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Aug 14, 2024

Your retirement accounts may end up in probate after you die depending on how you handle them when you're alive.

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Aug 08, 2024

When you should retire depends on how much you predict you'll need to maintain a comfortable retirement based on your financial situation, lifestyle, location, and expected expenses.

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Jul 24, 2024

A trust fund is an estate planning tool that is a legal entity that holds property or assets for a person or organization.

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Jul 22, 2024

A Roth IRA can become a valuable savings tool in the pursuit of future goals.

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Jul 05, 2024

We've heard of "pension maximization." What is it?

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Jul 02, 2024

Anyone with earned income can open and contribute to a traditional IRA.

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Jun 28, 2024

The short answer is yes — most retirement plans allow you to roll your plan funds over into an IRA after you've left your employer's service.

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Jun 25, 2024

Yes. Unless you absolutely cannot afford to set aside any dollars whatsoever, you should contribute to your employer's 401(k) plan.

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Jun 25, 2024

Did you know that, if you are at least 70½ years old, you can make tax-free charitable donations directly from your IRA?

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Jun 24, 2024

Digital assets now are a major cause of problems settling and distributing estates. You need to carefully consider and incorporate your digital life in the estate plan.

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Jun 17, 2024

Optimizing your HSA can be a smart addition to your well-thought-out retirement plan.

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Jun 04, 2024

The SECURE Act of 2019 dramatically changed the rules governing the inheritance of IRA and retirement plan assets.

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May 28, 2024

The IRS has announced relief and guidance for certain RMDs from inherited retirement accounts for 2024.

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May 23, 2024

Compare your Medicare options and help reduce out-of-pocket costs.

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Jan 11, 2024

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Dec 13, 2024

Leveraging is when you tap into borrowed money — such as loans, securities, capital, or other assets — to make a larger investment than you could otherwise make, often with the goal of amplifying returns.

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Oct 21, 2024

Discover the Magnificent Seven stocks—top-performing tech giants driving the market. Learn who they are, why they're influential and their impact on investment strategies.

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Sep 30, 2024

Two types of U.S. savings bonds — Series EE and Series I — offer a special tax advantage for college savers.

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Sep 18, 2024

Yield to maturity (YTM) is considered a long-term bond yield but is expressed as an annual rate.

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Sep 11, 2024

It has been a great time for CDs. Investors have poured in trillions, snagging yields that often top 5%, and now banks are getting ready to hand much of that money back.

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Aug 08, 2024

A sustainable investment approach may screen securities or sectors based on pre-defined environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, or it may consider ESG factors alongside more traditional financial analysis.

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Jul 29, 2024

Indexes and averages serve as useful benchmarks against which investors can measure the performance of their own portfolios.

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Jul 26, 2024

Mutual funds are pooled investments managed by professional money managers.

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Jun 13, 2024

The world of investing has changed significantly over the last few decades and continues to change rapidly. One of the biggest ways that the investment landscape has evolved is through fractional ownership.

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Jun 11, 2024

Cryptocurrency — often simply called crypto — has become so entrenched that the Internal Revenue Service asks a question about cryptocurrency on Form 1040, and Super Bowl ads have featured pitches for crypto platforms.

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Jun 05, 2024

When investing, particularly for long-term goals, there are two concepts you will likely hear about over and over again — diversification and asset allocation.

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Dec 11, 2024

Financial aid for college can consist of loans, grants, scholarships, and work study. Grants and scholarships are preferable because they don't have to be repaid. There are three sources for grant aid: colleges, the federal government, and state higher-education agencies.

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Nov 13, 2024

It's hard to talk about college without mentioning financial aid. Yet this pairing isn't a marriage of love, but one of necessity. In many cases, financial aid may be the deciding factor in whether your child attends the college of his or her choice.

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Nov 04, 2024

The three major federal financial aid loans under the Direct Loan program are the Direct Subsidized Loan, the Direct Unsubsidized Loan, and the Direct PLUS Loan.

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Oct 18, 2024

Yes, although you will want to consider both the plan's limit and the gift tax rules. Every plan has a lifetime contribution limit; in the majority of states, this limit is at least $350,000.

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Oct 10, 2024

529 college savings plans are generally open to residents of any state, but 529 prepaid tuition plans are limited to state residents only.

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Oct 04, 2024

A law that took effect this year allows unused 529 funds to be transferred to Roth IRAs tax-free, up to certain limits.

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Sep 30, 2024

Two types of U.S. savings bonds — Series EE and Series I — offer a special tax advantage for college savers.

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Sep 05, 2024

You can, but it isn't your best option. Your 401(k) plan should be dedicated primarily to your retirement.

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Aug 16, 2024

Some young adults are more suited to a trade that will let them work with their hands, whereas others should hit the ground running in an industry that doesn't require a degree at all.

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Aug 14, 2024

Unless legislation in your state exempts 529 plans from Medicaid rules, you'd be wise to assume that these assets will be subject to the state's grasp.

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Aug 12, 2024

An UTMA/UGMA account is a custodial account established at a financial institution for a minor child and managed by a parent or other designated adult custodian.

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Jul 16, 2024

Named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), these plans were originally designed to cover postsecondary education costs.

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Jul 15, 2024

The type of plan you choose will depend primarily on the type of college you think the beneficiary might attend.

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Jul 15, 2024

Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code provides that any individual, regardless of age, can be a designated beneficiary of a 529 plan. However, states can impose more restrictive requirements.

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May 29, 2024

On May 29, many states and financial institutions hold promotional events to raise awareness of some of the best 529 plans for college savings.

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Jan 05, 2024

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Nov 06, 2024

Social Security benefits will be a major source of retirement income for most Americans. Yet, shockingly, only some people have a good idea of how much they will receive in benefits from Social Security.

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Oct 30, 2024

Is 62 your lucky number? If you're eligible, that's the earliest age you can start receiving Social Security retirement benefits.

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Oct 09, 2024

When you file for Social Security benefits, it is a one-time decision that’s relatively hard to change, so you need to exercise prudence when making this decision.

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Sep 19, 2024

If you’re worried about a cut in Social Security benefits denting your retirement savings, there are steps you can take to make up for the shortfall.

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Aug 29, 2024

You’re getting remarried! We can help you with Social Security-related questions regarding your remarriage.

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Jul 12, 2024

The maximum Social Security retirement benefit depends on the age at which retirees begin collecting and their earnings history, among other factors.

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Jul 12, 2024

While waiting until 70 offers the highest monthly payment, it isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition.

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Jun 21, 2024

Social Security is complex, and the details are often misunderstood even by those who are already receiving benefits. It's important to understand some of the basic rules and options and how they might affect your financial future.

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Jun 20, 2024

Social Security benefits are a major source of retirement income for most people.

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Jun 18, 2024

The Social Security system is based on a simple premise: Throughout your career, you pay a portion of your earnings into a trust fund by paying Social Security or self-employment taxes.

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Jan 05, 2024

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Dec 20, 2024

Life insurance can be an excellent tool for charitable giving. Not only does life insurance allow you to make a substantial gift to charity but you may also benefit from tax rules that apply to gifts of life insurance.

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Dec 04, 2024

If you're covered by Medicare, here's some welcome news — Medicare drug coverage can help you handle the rising cost of prescriptions.

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Nov 21, 2024

As expected, Medicare costs will increase in 2025 “due to projected price changes” and an increase in the number of people using health care services.

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Nov 21, 2024

A lot of changes are coming to Medicare plans in 2025, and now is a great time for enrollees to map out how their costs might change in the new year.

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Nov 18, 2024

The start of the Medicare Open Enrollment Period revealed major changes in the availability of plans and pricing. The biggest changes are in Medicare Advantage plans and Part D prescription drug plans

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Nov 08, 2024

An important part of any retirement strategy involves accounting for potential long-term care (LTC) expenses, which can be surprisingly high.

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Oct 25, 2024

Older adults may find themselves wondering whether Medicare will cover costs associated with home health care should the need arise.

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Oct 14, 2024

In 2025, Medicare will undergo some of the most significant changes in a generation. Changes to Medicare will include a $2,000 limit on out-of-pocket Part D drug costs, an opt-in payment plan, and some potential broad changes in Medicare Advantage plans. Most result from the Inflation Reduction Act.

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Sep 16, 2024

The tax advantages of a Health Savings Account can be huge. But the increase in tax deductible contribution limits for 2025 is relatively modest.

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Jul 08, 2024

Here's what everyone should know about collecting life insurance when someone dies.

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Jul 05, 2024

Your chances of requiring some sort of long-term care increase as you age, and long-term care insurance (LTCI) can help you cover your long-term care expenses.

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Jul 02, 2024

Here is some information to help you when it's time to make decisions about Medicare.

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Jun 28, 2024

The longer you live, the greater the chances you'll need some form of long-term care.

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Jun 18, 2024

Are health insurance premiums taking too big of a bite out of your budget? If so, you may be interested in an alternative to traditional health insurance.

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Jun 17, 2024

The health-care reform legislation enacted in 2010 included new Medicare-related taxes that first took effect in 2013. These new taxes target high-income individuals and families. Here are the basics.

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Jun 14, 2024

Included in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the creation of a Health Insurance Exchange or Marketplace through which individuals and families can compare health insurance policies and purchase coverage. The ACA also provides premium tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies to help reduce the cost of premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for health coverage.

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Jun 13, 2024

One of the main reasons we buy life insurance is so that when we die, our loved ones will have enough money to pay off our remaining debts and final expenses. We also purchase life insurance to provide for our loved ones' future living expenses, at least for a while.

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Jan 05, 2024

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Sep 23, 2024

As a business owner, you may devote most of your time, energy, and profits to running and growing your business. But working for yourself means that saving money for retirement is entirely up to you.

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Aug 26, 2024

The principal advantage of electing S corporation status is that it allows corporate income to pass through to you and other shareholders and be reported only once as personal income.

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Jul 12, 2024

SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis is a framework used to evaluate a company's competitive position and to develop strategic planning.

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Jun 25, 2024

Your insurance needs will obviously depend in part on the type of business you operate. However, all business owners should consider at least three types of insurance.

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Jun 10, 2024

A simplified employee pension (SEP) is a written plan that allows small-business owners to make retirement contributions to traditional IRAs (SEP-IRAs) set up for themselves and for each eligible employee.

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Jun 07, 2024

Over the past few decades, legislators have introduced a number of simplified alternatives to the traditional 401(k) to help encourage more business owners to adopt these potentially valuable retirement benefit programs.

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Jun 06, 2024

If you're self-employed or own a small business, you've probably considered establishing a retirement plan. Here is some information to better understand Individual 401(k) Plans.

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Jun 05, 2024

A 403(b) plan is an employer-sponsored retirement plan for certain employees of public schools, tax-exempt [501(c)(3)] organizations, and churches.

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Jun 03, 2024

When developing a succession plan for your business, you must make many decisions.The key is to pick the best plan for your circumstances and objectives, and to seek help from financial and legal advisors to carry out this plan.

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May 31, 2024

Keeping good business records will not only help you stay in business but may also help you increase profits.

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Sep 13, 2024

According to Bloomberg Tax & Accounting, inflation-adjusted amounts in the tax code will increase by 2.8% from the 2024 numbers.

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Jul 31, 2024

Your credit report contains information about your past and present credit transactions. It's used primarily by potential lenders to evaluate your creditworthiness.

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