Build an Emergency Fund, Pay Off Debt, or Save for Retirement? Three Competing Goals That All Need Your Attention Today
Should You Save for Retirement or Build Up Savings? And What About Debt? What does building up an emergency fund, paying off debt, and saving for retirement all have in common? They all need to be done, and sooner rather than later. The problem is that for many people, all three of these issues are […]
It's Not Too Late to Max Out Your 2011 IRA Contribution in 2012
Max Out Your 2011 IRA in 2012 The calendar may have flipped to the new year, which means most tax tricks, tips, and deductions have closed the book on last year’s taxes, but that isn’t the case for your IRAs. Individual Retirement Accounts are unique in that they give you up until when you file […]
Should You Invest in the Stock Market or Hold Cash?
Let me paint a picture for you really quick. A man is sitting at his desk looking at his Scottrade account. He’s been noticing the volatile market swings and doesn’t know what to do with his money. He start sweating. He starts to wonder if he should place his money under his mattress instead. Does […]
Why You Should be Paying Attention to Medigap Plans
By the time those currently in their 40s retire and begin to qualify for Medicare, the government-run insurance program is going to be over 6 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. That means for every dollar the United States economy earns, a little more than six cents goes toward Medicare. Social Security looks to be […]
5 Reasons to Not Be Borrowing From Your 401k
You won’t believe what I’ve been hearing at work lately. Fellow employees are borrowing from their 401k accounts. Why do people take out loans against their 401k accounts and borrowing from 401k accounts when instead they should be looking at doing a maximum 401k contribution? I don’t know if there are people out there giving […]
Eliminate Taxes With a Roth IRA
Rocketing national debt, unstable economy, high unemployment, and high inflation. These are all factors that have Americans on edge right now. What has the American public even more scared is the fact that the federal government has started to tap into public pension funds to pay for bankrupt social programs such as Social Security and […]
Getting The Most From Your Retirement
Retiring is a fact of life and once you hit that point, which we all do, the idea is to enjoy your time. Ideally you have adequate resources and savings that will allow you the leisure that comes when you retire but it’s not always the case. It’s important to enjoy your time but it’s […]
Planning for Your Financial Future in Retirement
When it comes to planning for the future, most people think of retirement. Retirement planning is important because it allows you to do the things that you were unable to do while workingâ’travel, start a business, go back to school, be closer to family, or simply relax. Because retirement is such an important phase in […]
Don't Treat Your 401(k) Like a Savings Account
As a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and someone who deals specifically with retirement issues I spend a lot of time helping participants with their retirement plans. One of the most common reasons participants would meet with me is because they say need money and they are looking to take it out of their retirement plan. […]
How Not to Spend Your Tax Refund
If youâre like most Americans, you will be receiving a tax refund this year. If your refund is anywhere near the average it means youâll be getting a few thousand dollars. No, really. The average tax return for the 2010 tax year is a little higher than usual and is $3,129 so far this year. […]
