Author Archives: Megan Russell

At best, it is a crutch holding you up. At worst, it is a ball and chain holding you down.

We were surprised by our survey of the registered firms in the Charlottesville area.

According to Internal Revenue Code, in order for an account to be a 529 account, the custodian must meet six requirements.

It is commonplace for special interest groups to use lobbyists to gain control of their own industry’s regulation. This failure where interests group seizes control of a governmental power is called “regulatory capture.”

It might continue to boom. It might continue to bust.

We, the shareholders, do not like being treated this way.

Sadly, the IRS is very clear about this; contributions must be cash.

Be brave. Fund your Roth. Convert your IRA. Pay your tax bill. Your future self will thank you.

Even though we recommend Vanguard as a custodian for our readers who are just starting out with investing, they are not our first choice when it comes to Donor Advised Funds.

A 2014 post called “7 Strange Questions That Help You Find Your Life Purpose” has seven good questions for life planning. Here’s the radio edit version of that post.

On April 10, 2018, David John Marotta appeared on Radio 1070 WINA’s Schilling Show to discuss the question: What is worth using the government’s threat of violence?

Depending on your particular case and Social Security agent, you may get your surcharge waived, lowered, or upheld.

Luckily for Roth lovers like us, you don’t have to choose between Roth conversions or Roth contributions.

I began my DIY journey learning about science, so it feels best to start you there as well.

2017 was such a good year for the stock markets that it set a record.

As the parent, it can be hard to know what to do with a cash gift for a baby.

I recently stumbled upon an interesting website called OK to Die which has resources for preparing for and dealing with either your own death or the death of another.

You can take the RMD out as early as January 1st or as late as December 31st, but when should you?

On March 13, 2018, David John Marotta appeared on Radio 1070 WINA’s Schilling Show to discuss finding a life you love. Also in this show: what David Marotta thinks about his own life calling and a discussion of healthcare and insurance in retirement.

If you choose to make a QCD, we suggest saving as much documentation as possible.

Fraud is the enemy of the free markets. It is theft through deception.

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, you are still allowed to make nondeductible contributions and still allowed to convert IRA assets to Roth IRA.

Turns out, Charlottesville is not the only area to have their recycling services change this year. In fact, the world’s recycling is affected.

The markets may fail the Utopian Vision, but only because our Tragic world fails the Utopian Vision.

One obscure way we earn our fee is in how we bill you.

Pricing is not about being nice. It is about being fair. Fair to you as the seller and to the value you ascribe to the good or service.

On February 13, 2018, David John Marotta appeared on Radio 1070 WINA’s Schilling Show to discuss recent market volatility, what you should do in response to the volatility, what Freedom Investing is, and what the Marotta’s Gone-Fishing Portfolios are.

Private property, free markets, and protection from aggression solve a lot of problems.

Talking about the question “How should you manage your money in 2018?” this show covers a lot of ground over 23 minutes of conversation.

The free market fails to be a centralized economy. That’s why it is called “free.”

Investments, like life, are volatile, risky, and on average rewarding. Diversification and rebalancing help to protect yourself from the volatility.

You can switch your investment election online through these simple steps.

We have all seen mutual fund ads stating this Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclaimer, “Past performance is no guarantee of future results.” Let’s take a closer look at it.

On January 18, 2018, the IRS updated their Frequently Asked Questions page to come into line with the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

If you want to find a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor in your area, here is a simple form you can use to search.

Here are seven techniques for small business owners to build real wealth.

On January 9, 2018, David John Marotta appeared on Radio 1070 WINA’s Schilling Show to discuss ten investment categories that look more attractive than the S&P 500 at the start of 2018.

Can you aggregate RMDs? Yes, for some account types. Should you aggregate your RMDs? Not unless you have a really good reason to.

Seriously, open and fund your Roth IRA now. You’ll regret it later if you don’t get started now.

My best case for SRI is a personal story of lace, oil paintings, tobacco, and Ray Stedman.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act came out of conference, which means that the House and Senate bills have been reconciled into one piece of legislation.

As the proud mother of a one-year old daughter, I thought I’d record some of my and my firstborn’s favorite things from this past year as helpful ideas for gifts from grandparents.

“When Congress acts, whatever it is called it will do the exact opposite. So the Affordable Care Act will make plans not affordable.”

It looks like something from this proposal will become law. Right now, the bill is in committee where the differences are being resolved.

Putting money in your Roth without delay is valuable.

One unsettled issue is the fate of Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).

We’ve been waiting to see what our congressmen and women are going to decide for our 2018 tax law. As we’ve already entered the holiday season and can see the new year in sight, they are certainly cutting it close. … Read More

We will have to wait and see what tax law we have after Congress reconciles the bills and the final version is signed into law by the President.

We’ve been waiting to see what our congressmen and women are going to decide for our 2018 tax law. As we’ve already entered the holiday season and can see the new year in sight, they are certainly cutting it close. … Read More

With this proposed expansion, 529 accounts may become the most cost-efficient way to fund all education expenses.