401(k) Loan Repayment
Dec 30, 2019
The conventional wisdom about taking a loan from your 401(k) plan is often boiled down to: not unless absolutely necessary. That said, it isn’t always avoidable for everyone or in every situation. In a true emergency, if you had no alternative, the rules do allow for a loan, but they also require a fast repayment if your employment were to end. Recent changes have changed that deadline, offering some flexibility to those taking the loan. (Distributions from 401(k) plans and most other employer-sponsored retirement plans are taxed as ordinary income, and if taken before age 59½, may be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty. Generally, once you reach age 70½, you must begin taking required minimum distributions.) (more…)
Tags: 401K, Retirement Planning
Taking Charge of Your Financial Life
Dec 27, 2019
When you are putting together a household, it isn’t unusual to delegate responsibilities. One spouse or partner may take on the laundry, while another takes on the shopping. You might also decide which one of you vacuums and which one of you dusts. This is a perfectly fine way to divvy up household tasks and chores.
One household task it’s valuable for both partners to take part in, however, is your shared financial life. It’s important, regardless of your level of wealth or stage of life. Counting on one spouse or partner to handle all financial decisions can create a gap for the other partner. (more…)
Tags: financial advisor charlotte nc, Financial Planning
Pension Plans & De-risking
Dec 25, 2019
A new term has made its way into today’s financial jargon: de-risking. Anyone with assets in old-school pension plans should know what it signifies.
De-risking is when a large employer hands over its established pension liabilities to a third party (typically, a major insurer). By doing this, the employer takes a sizable financial obligation off its hands. Companies that opt for de-risking usually ask pension plan participants if they want their pension money all at once rather than incrementally in an ongoing income stream. (more…)
Tags: financial advisor charlotte nc, retirement, Retirement Planning
The Major Retirement Planning Mistakes
Dec 23, 2019
Much is out there about the classic financial mistakes that plague start-ups, family businesses, corporations, and charities. Aside from these blunders, some classic financial missteps plague retirees.
Calling them “mistakes” may be a bit harsh, as not all of them represent errors in judgment. Yet whether they result from ignorance or fate, we need to be aware of them as we plan for and enter retirement. (more…)
Tags: financial advisor charlotte nc, Financial Help, retirement, Retirement Planning
Dove’s Nest – Charlotte Rescue Mission
Dec 21, 2019
It was such a privilege to be the group that assembled the gift bags that were opened on Christmas morning by the women and children at Dove’s Nest. It was a clear reminder that the Christmas season truly is about giving, not just presents, but giving of one’s self for others, sharing our time and hearts and doing what we can to lift others up, to empower them, and to give them the dignity they deserve no matter their circumstances or life story. It’s also a perfect time to reflect on how blessed we are, and how grateful we are for the families that we serve doing the work we do at Epic Capital.
Dove’s Nest, Charlotte Rescue Mission’s cost-free women’s recovery program provides a structured yet loving and stable living environment aimed at helping women understand and deal with the core issues of addiction as a disease. The 120-Day program welcomes mothers with their children and focuses on spiritual, physical, social and psychological recovery, to help women understand and deal with the core issues of their alcohol and/or drug addiction. If you’d like to learn more about this extraordinary facility and program, please visit their website or give them a call @ 704-333-4673.
Four Words You Shouldn’t Believe
Dec 18, 2019
“This time is different.” Beware those four little words. They are perhaps the most dangerous words an investor can believe in. If you believe “this time is different,” you are mentally positioning yourself to exit the stock market and make impulsive, short-sighted decisions with your money. This is the belief that has made too many investors miss out on the best market days and scramble to catch up with Wall Street recoveries.
Stock market investing is a long-term proposition – which is true for most forms of investing. Any form of long-range investing demands a certain temperament. You must be patient, you must be dedicated to realizing your objectives, and you can’t let short-term headlines deter you from your long-term quest. (more…)
Tags: Investing, Investment Planning
A Retirement Facts Sheet
Dec 16, 2019
Does your vision of retirement align with the facts? Here are some noteworthy financial and lifestyle facts about life after 50 that might surprise you.
Up to 85% of a retiree’s Social Security income can be taxed. Some retirees are taken aback when they discover this. In addition to the Internal Revenue Service, 13 states currently levy taxes on some or all Social Security retirement benefits: Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia. (West Virginia, incidentally, is phasing out such taxation.) (more…)
Tags: financial advisor charlotte nc, Retirement Planning
New I.R.S. Contribution Limits
Dec 13, 2019
The I.R.S. just increased the annual contribution limits on IRAs, 401(k)s, and other widely used retirement plan accounts for 2020. Here’s a quick look at the changes. (more…)
Tags: Retirement Planning
Creating a Retirement Strategy
Dec 11, 2019
Across the country, people are saving for that “someday” called retirement. Someday, their careers will end. Someday, they may live off their savings or investments, plus Social Security. They know this, but many of them do not know when, or how, it will happen. What is missing is a strategy – and a good strategy might make a great difference.
A retirement strategy directly addresses the “when, why, and how” of retiring.It can even address the “where.” It breaks the whole process of getting ready for retirement into actionable steps. (more…)
Tags: financial advisor charlotte nc, Retirement Planning
Establishing Good Credit in College
Dec 9, 2019
Good credit may open doors. It is vital to securing a loan, a business loan, or buying a home. When you establish and maintain good credit in college, you create a financial profile for yourself that can influence lenders, landlords, and potential employers.
Unfortunately, some college students do not have good credit. In fact, Credit Karma says that the average 18-to-24-year-old has a credit score of 630. A FICO score of 730 or higher is considered good. (more…)
Tags: Credit Repair, Financial Planner Charlotte NC, Financial Planning
More Insights
Dec 1, 2021
Getting rich quick can be liberating, but it can also be frustrating. A sudden wealth windfall can help you address retirement saving or college funding anxieties, and it may also allow you to live and work on your terms. On the other hand, you’ll pay more taxes, attract more attention, and maybe even contend with … Continue reading “When a Windfall Comes Your Way”
Nov 29, 2021
You may have seen this statistic before or one resembling it: the average 65-year-old retiring couple can now expect to pay more than $250,000 in healthcare costs during the rest of their lives. In fact, Fidelity Investments now projects this cost at $285,000. The effort to prepare for these potential expenses is changing the … Continue reading “Healthcare Costs are Cutting into Retirement Preparations”
Nov 24, 2021
Preparing for retirement just got a little more financial wiggle room. This week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced new contribution limits for 2022.
Nov 22, 2021
Financial markets can be challenging to understand. But when markets enter a “bad news is good news” cycle, it becomes even more difficult to follow along. Enter the Fed’s decision for tapering bond purchases.
Nov 19, 2021
The past year and a half have tested all of us, but overall, the economy continues to strengthen, COVID-19 trends are greatly improving, and this still relatively young bull market is alive and well. As the leaves turn colors and begin to fall to the ground, there are many reasons to be thankful.
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