As a parent, of course you want to give your child the best opportunity for success, and for many, attending the “right” university or college is that opportunity. Unfortunately, being accepted to the college of one’s choice may not be as easy as it once was. Additionally, the earlier you consider how you expect to pay for college costs, the better. Today, the average college graduate owes $37,731 in debt, while the average salary for a recent graduate is $49,785.1
Preparing for college means setting goals, staying focused, and tackling a few key milestones along the way — starting in the first year of high school. (more…)
New inherited IRA rules took effect on January 1, 2020. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act became law on that day, altering the regulations on inherited Individual Retirement Account (I.R.A.) distributions.
Most people who inherit a beneficiary IRA now have to empty that IRA of assets within ten years of the original owner’s death. You can do this as you wish; you can withdraw the whole IRA balance at once, or take incremental distributions on the way to meeting the 10-year deadline.1
At this time last year, it was still unknown that a deadly global pandemic was on the rise, eventually stalling economic growth and sending crude oil prices into negative territory. But recently, oil prices have surged, with crude hitting highs not seen since before the pandemic. (more…)
It can be easy to overlook the nation’s solid economic fundamentals when the financial media splashes stories every day about an army of amateur traders, short-selling mania, and initial public offerings (IPOs) that double in price on the first day of trading.
But a recent survey by The Wall Street Journal showed just how upbeat economists are about 2021.1
Here’s a quick summary of the highlights. (more…)
While many in the United States are beginning to receive vaccinations and people are starting to foresee a life after COVID-19, it remains clear that things aren’t yet back to normal. As a result, there has been a great deal of speculation about Congress putting forward an economic stimulus, covering the needs of both individuals and businesses. (more…)
Are you considering refinancing your mortgage? Perhaps you want to shorten the term of your home loan. Maybe you have an adjustable-rate mortgage now and want to refi into a fixed rate. Or maybe you want to tap into home equity or consolidate debt. Whatever your reason(s), you must weigh two questions. One, how long do you want to stay in your home? Two, how much money are you expected to save? (more…)
Financially, many of us associate April with taxes – but we should also associate December with important IRA deadlines.
December 31, 2021 is the deadline to take your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from certain individual retirement accounts.
April 15, 2021 is the deadline for making annual contributions to a traditional IRA, Roth IRA, and certain other retirement accounts.1 (more…)
If you are retired and have reached your seventies, you may have the opportunity to draw a little less income from your retirement savings accounts in 2022. Thanks to updated life expectancy tables from the I.R.S. RMD amounts may be reduced.
Next year, the Internal Revenue Service plans to update the life expectancy (more…)
The year 1995 was an exciting one. Michael Jordan came back from retirement, digital video disks (DVDs) were invented, Netscape went public after introducing the world to the internet via its web browser, and Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” was the song of the year. It was also an exciting year for investors.
You want to retire comfortably when the time comes. You also want to help your child go to college. So how do you juggle the two? The truth is, saving for your retirement and your child or grandchild’s education at the same time can be a challenge. But take heart — you may be able … Continue reading “Saving for College and Retirement Together”
As spring approaches, the weather is starting to warm up. For the stock market, the temperature has been rising for a while now. In fact, since December 2023, the S&P 500 has not experienced a pullback of even 2%. Strong starts to years tend to signal more gains ahead, so this calm market may not … Continue reading “Market Update – Markets Warming Up”
Identity theft is a growing concern, impacting 14.4 million U.S. Consumers in 2019. Armed with your Social Security number, a criminal can use that information to commit tax- and other financial-related crimes in your name.
There is almost nothing stronger than the unconditional loving bond between grandparents and grandchildren. And for many grandparents, they recognize the importance of family legacies, the passing of the torch to the youngest generation.
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