While it may be prudent to use a financial professional when you start your investment journey, there are a lot of things you can do before you ever speak to a financial professional. Investing, like everything else in life, has no guarantees, and even the hottest stock or the best tip may not always perform the way we would like. Keeping that in mind, here are a few things you can do (or not do)...
4 Reasons You May Consider Keeping It When it comes to retaining life insurance in retirement, there are two schools of thought regarding its necessity. The primary purpose of life insurance is to protect your family against a loss of income should you or your spouse pass away. Life insurance benefits are especially important for individuals who still have dependents or have accrued a significant amount of debt. So, if you don’t fit this description...
There’s no doubt that it feels great to help someone in need through charitable giving. There are more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the United States that range from food banks and disaster relief centers to churches and cultural centers. And in 2018, Americans contributed over 4 billion dollars to charitable organizations. While you may have altruistic reasons for donating to a charity that you support, there can also be tax benefits that come...
As a young gun in the industry, you might not care about your employee stock options, but for those who pay attention, there are potential benefits. In this article we are going to look at two things, first what exactly are employee stock options, and secondly why you may want to consider taking advantage of them. What are stock options Employee stock options are simply an opportunity for employees of a particular company to buy...
Proper financial planning should always be a focus, but for those who are dealing with a physically ill spouse or loved one, it is crucial. There are several financial considerations that you will need to ponder, and naturally, these will not work with every situation, and chatting with a professional financial planner is one place to start. Cash Flow If your spouse or loved one is still in the workforce, you may be able to...
Your Retirement Savings and Change in Employment Whether you leave an employer for a wonderful new opportunity or lose a position because of the pandemic, it’s easy to forget about the money you have saved in your retirement plan. Sometimes, retirement plan savings can stay in a previous employer’s plan. Other times, your money can’t stay in the plan, and you need to take action or your employer may move your money. The circumstances depend...
When the ups and downs of stock markets leave you stressed and wondering whether stocks really will help you pursue your long-term financial goals, there are two things to remember: 1. Historically, over long periods, stocks have tended to move higher. For instance, at the start of October 1987, the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 Index was valued at 327. On Black Monday, October 19, the Index lost 22 percent in a single day. By...
Americans are choosing to retire early. Economists Olivier Coibion, Yuriy Gorodnichenko, and Michael Weber associated with the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) have been comparing data gathered in January and April 2020 to learn how labor markets were affected by the crisis. 1 They shared their work in Labor Markets During the COVID-19 Crisis: A Preliminary View. The economists reported the employment-to-population ratio declined sharply from January to early April. In January, 60 percent...
There was a little something for everyone in the ‘Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement’ (SECURE) Act, a piece of bipartisan legislation that was attached to the United States federal spending bill and signed into law toward the end of 2019. Here are some of its provisions: 1 Tax relief for children with unearned income Authorized federally-penalty-free distributions from retirement plans after the birth or adoption of a child Opened workplace retirement plan participation...
If your income is pie, then the federal government takes a hefty slice each year. A 2020 report from the Tax Foundation found a single average wage earner in the United States pays about 29.8 percent of their income in federal taxes. That’s about $18,368 in federal taxes and does not include state and local taxes. The calculations include: 1 Income tax 15.1 percent Employee paid payroll taxes 7.1 percent Employer paid payroll taxes* 7.6...
The words ‘bear market’ have been bandied about a lot lately. When you read or hear them, remember to respond the same way you would if you saw an actual bear in the woods – by staying calm and keeping your wits about you. A changing bond market environment creates challenges for investors and financial advisors, but it also creates opportunities. Bonds and a bear market Many people believe bonds are risk free. That’s not...
How long will you live? It’s not a question anyone can answer with any certainty, and that creates a significant risk when planning for retirement. Your retirement may last for a long time, and you will need to have enough income to live comfortably without running out of money. Retirement income planning can be like trying to hit a moving target in the wind. The target is moving forward and back because we do not...
