Financial planning can be romantic. As this 2011 article reminds us, “nothing is more romantic than planning how to realize your shared hopes and dreams for the future.”
Tax planning is very different than tax return preparation. The goal of tax preparation is to minimize your tax owed this year. The goal of tax planning is to maximize your after-tax net worth by minimizing your taxes owed over your lifetime.
Saving for long-term care, if done early enough, is not too expensive and helps to protect yourself from this potential financial shock.
This 2014 post reminds us that perhaps we should be more afraid of cash and inflation than stocks and investing.
While you may think that the account owner needs to stay the same, you can easily change the account owner.
Doubling your retirement is not a fast process. It is the slow and steady practices of daily financial diligence.
If you receive Social Security benefits, the portion of those benefits which will be taxable depends on your income. The taxable portion can be anywhere from 0% to a maximum of 85% of your benefits.
This 2016 post has been our most popular search result recently for good reason. After the 2020 COVID bear market, this article is a comforting bit of math.
There are different tables and formulas used to calculate your RMD divisor based on your particular circumstances. This is a calculator for the three most common.
This 2004 post has ten timeless rules for small businesses to maintain their financial balance.
Want to do the new year well? Here is a month-by-month guide for setting financially healthy habits.
The worst financial problems stem from trying to live a champagne and caviar lifestyle on a beer and chips budget.
As the season of holiday shopping approaches, this 2018 article reminds us, “Before you throw your money at various companies, squirrel some savings away for your future self.”
Schwab has recently required that everyone with older checkbooks reorder new ones. This recent guide should help you with this process.
Inflation has at least four grievous effects on our economy. This 2014 article explains them.
Staying fully invested is an important part of your financial plan. Yet still, there are at least five reasons to hold cash.
Old financial news read with 20-20 hindsight helps remind us that this is what markets do.
As advertisers have found it harder and harder to reach consumers, they are continually seeking ways to gain your attention.
In this video, David used examples from our tax planning service to demonstrate what a Roth conversion plan might look like and how systematic Roth conversions can create a higher after-tax net worth in the future.
This post reminds us that there are at least four reasons to rebalance where the benefit can be demonstrated or measured.
When you get out of the markets, you have made a huge gamble with your retirement money, and now the stakes are high.
Unfortunately, neither “yes” nor “no” is a correct answer to this question.
A recovery after a significant downturn in the markets is often marked by steep growth. If you sell and flatline, you will likely miss the market’s natural recovery and thus your own personal future recovery becomes very difficult.
You learn a lot by the discipline of reading old news.
Whenever the IRS challenges you, the burden of producing evidence that your claims are true rests entirely with you.
Some states do not tax their residents on income from a mutual fund that was earned on U.S. government obligations.
Roth conversions pay off. Repeat it to yourself now. Repeat it to yourself at tax time. Roth conversions pay off.
Luckily, reporting and using your tax credits on your state tax return is very straightforward.
Don’t let stress about tax filing requirements keep you or your child from a powerful opportunity to provide for their future.
The strangest fluke of the tax return is that the actual calculation of how much base tax you owe does not have a form; it has this worksheet.
The 25 lines are so simplified, they end up being difficult to follow what exactly they do. So, for those of you who are curious, here’s what they do.
The given numbers on a 1099-R are insufficient to be able to fill out your tax return correctly. Knowledge of what was actually done is required in order to file your taxes accurately.
The class will be held virtually on Zoom each Thursday from noon to 1:00 PM EST between March 10 and March 31, 2022.
This 2020 article is for tax preparers of the world. If you did a backdoor Roth this year, send it to yours.
Be sure to remember to tell your tax preparer that you did a QCD.
Why do people do Roth conversions? Should I? This timeless article and video answers all your questions.
This 2020 article reminds us that if you ever sad about the size of your IRA balance, it might be a good time to convert to Roth.
Many people think that Roth IRA contributions can only be from earned income. Those people are only half right.
Many financial writers get the answer to this question wrong.
The tax code is confusing. Are inherited IRAs taxed at estate rates? As income? At all? This article answers.
A 2007 article that stands the test of time. This is the year you should keep your financial resolutions. Getting help from an objective advisor can provide both a powerful catalyst for action and real peace of mind.
Hopefully, some of these ideas inspire you to reuse various treasures you didn’t know you had.
Long-Term Care insurance is too risky and too expensive. If you can self-insure, you will likely be better off.
There are five ways that both you and the government could make charitable giving more significant.
The selection of what products we purchase or avoid for clients is based solely on what we believe gives our clients the best chance to meet their goals.
This five-part series on “How to Get Out of Debt” will try to address the concerns of those who have debt problems.
Although emotions do mature with age, many of the things that upset toddlers upset adults too, we just hide it better.
For domestic tasks like babysitting there are often two options: independent contractor or household employee. Taking the time to educate yourself on the difference may be worth your while.
Punishing people for inflation is neither fair nor good economic policy.
Knowledge and emotion can play off each other in ways that cause investing mistakes.