Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Financial Planning”
What should you do with the money? A look at some choices. Each year, about 70% of taxpayers receive federal tax refunds. The average IRS refund is substantial—$2,800. What could you do with a refund sent to you? You could invest that money. It could go into your workplace retirement plan, an Individual Retirement Account, or a college savings plan—preferably, …
In trying to do it yourself, there’s the chance you could do it all wrong. Many successful people refrain from trying to plan their financial futures. They delegate that job to professionals, as they lack the time, inclination, or knowledge to do it themselves. This makes sense. It takes years to gain a thorough understanding of financial market cycles and …
Some key financial steps that you could take. Your twenties are the perfect time to save and invest. Do it now, and you will have a great ally—time—on your side. Think about doing the following things if you’re not doing them already. Put money into a retirement plan. Save and invest through a 401(k), a 403(b), a Roth or traditional …
These crucial years call for action. Today, retirement may seem nearer to you than it once did. The following moves might be worth making—and soon. Catch-up contributions to your retirement accounts. Starting in the year you turn 50, you may make a total of $1,000 in catch-up contributions to your IRAs each year and put an extra $6,000 per year …
How much can you gift in a year, and a lifetime? Federal tax rules allow you to give away millions of dollars during your lifetime. You can make five-figure gifts of money or property to other individuals in any given year. These gifts may be made without tax consequences … as long as they fall within the IRS annual …
A few astute moves could help promote a better after-tax return. As you weigh risk vs. return, you may risk taking an eye off taxes. A focus on tax efficiency could help you improve the effective yield of your portfolio. You can try to cut or delay taxes linked to investing. Consider placing the most tax-efficient investments you have in …
Its effect is subtle, yet significant. Even mild inflation eventually reduces the value of a dollar. If consumer prices rise just 2% a year for the next 25 years, $50,000 will buy the equivalent of $30,477 by the end of 2041. Or to put it another way, a car that costs $50,000 today will cost $82,030 by then. If inflation …
With the stock market hitting all-time highs on a what seems like a daily basis, now is the time to review heavily appreciated and concentrated stock holdings. What is intent of the investment that you are holding? Is there a particular goal in mind? No one knows what the value of the investment will be when you want to achieve …
By default, single women have always taken responsibility for managing household wealth, but the latest in a series of ongoing studies into the attitudes and actions of women around financial topics found that an ever-increasing percentage of married women are taking charge of financial and retirement planning for their families. Prudential’s “Financial Experience & Behaviors Among Women 2014-2015” — which …
Whether nurturing the values of children, fulfilling charitable goals, or making investment decisions that affect their own as well as their beneficiaries’ financial security, women play a central role in establishing and preserving family wealth. Consider these statistics:1 Women now control more than half of the investment wealth in the United States. 48% of estates worth more than …
Disability insurance addresses lost wages that stem from an inability to work. Long-term care insurance, in contrast, addresses expenses associated with medical care provided to you in your home, a nursing home, a rehabilitation center, or an assisted living facility. Disability insurance policies may address either short-term or long-term needs for income. Short-term disability policies provide coverage on a temporary …
