Retirement planning is not entirely financial. Your degree of happiness in your “second act” may depend on some factors that don’t come with an obvious price tag. Here are some non-monetary factors to consider as you plan your retirement. (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…)
Pursuing your retirement dreams is challenging enough without making some common, and very avoidable, mistakes. Here are eight big mistakes to steer clear of, if possible.
Yes, the biggest mistake is having no strategy at all. Without a strategy, you may have no goals, leaving you no way of knowing how you’ll get there – and if you’ve even arrived. Creating a strategy may increase your potential for success, both before and after retirement. (more…)
Financially, many of us associate April with taxes – but we should also associate April with important IRA deadlines. From current and previous IRA contribution deadlines, to RMD deadlines, keep an eye on the calendar.
April 15, 2021 is the deadline to take your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from certain individual retirement accounts.
Keep in mind that withdrawals from traditional, SIMPLE, and SEP-IRAs are taxed as ordinary income, and if taken before age 59½, may be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty. (more…)
When you read about money matters, you will sometimes see the phrase, “getting your financial house in order.” What exactly does that mean? When your financial “house is in order,” it means it is built on a solid foundation. It means that you have six fundamental “pillars” in place that are either crucial for sustaining your financial well-being or creating wealth. (more…)
Investors are routinely warned about allowing emotion to influence their decisions. However, they are less routinely cautioned about their preconceptions and biases that may color their financial choices.
In a battle between the facts & biases, our biases may win. If we acknowledge this tendency, we may be able to avoid some unexamined choices when it comes to personal finance. It may actually “pay” to recognize blind spots and biases with investing. Here are some common examples of bias creeping into our financial lives. (more…)
In corporate America, pension plans may be fading away. Only 14% of Fortune 500 companies offered them to full-time employees in 2019. In contrast, legal, medical, accounting, and engineering firms are keeping the spirit of the traditional pension plan alive by adopting cash balance plans.1 (more…)
As Wall Street pushes higher, a pandemic-weary Main Street is relearning how to manage cash flow with the hope of keeping its retirement dreams alive – and for those self-employed, this is paramount.
Self-employed Americans, and the people working for them, account for roughly 30 percent of the nation’s workforce.1
In the best of times, putting aside money for retirement was a challenge for this group. (more…)
The American people have voted, casting a record number of ballots under extraordinary circumstances, which is a testament to the enduring resilience of our democracy. Determining the outcome of our elections is a process, but it usually moves so quickly it barely gets noticed. This year it will take longer, but the process itself hasn’t changed. For many, this uncertainty on top of an already heated election season has created additional anxiety and frustration. (more…)
On October 26, the Treasury Department released the 2021 adjusted figures for retirement account savings (IRA, Roth IRA, and 401(k)s). Although these adjustments won’t bring any major changes, there are some minor elements to note. (more…)
Recently, you may have seen reports that a record-low number of homes are available for sale—roughly 1.03 million nationwide. If you compare that to the average number of homes for sale during the past 10 years, it’s no surprise that many hopeful homebuyers are having issues securing a home. But why exactly is the housing … Continue reading “Forces Driving the Housing Market”
It can be exhausting trying to keep up with the whims of Wall Street. Lately, the financial markets have been fixated on federal taxes and what may be proposed on Capitol Hill in the weeks and months ahead. Wall Street’s focus on taxes closely follows its attention on the 10-year Treasury yield. And it wasn’t … Continue reading “The Whims of Wall Street”
President Joe Biden introduced the much-anticipated American Jobs Plan, which outlines an approach to spend roughly $2.2 trillion on the nation’s infrastructure and other projects. As part of the legislative process, the Biden administration also laid out a proposal for paying for the domestic investment. The plan includes raising the corporate tax rate to 28% … Continue reading “Paying for the Infrastructure Bill”
Financially, many of us associate the spring with taxes – but we should also associate December with important IRA deadlines. This year, like 2020, will see a few changes and distinctions. December 31, 2021, is the deadline to take your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from certain individual retirement accounts.
There’s an old Wall Street maxim that says, “markets climb a wall of worry.” And these days, there’s plenty to worry about with the trend in long-term interest rates and bonds.
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