Frank Mokosak, CFP® has been a contributor to The Des Moines Register, Iowa’s largest news publication. Below is a list of Frank’s educational articles, some of which have been published in the Register’s “Business & Money” section. Please browse the articles and click on any link to learn more about a variety of topics.
- How Much Market Risk Can You Take?
Many market shocks are short-lived. However, major market downturns such as the 2000 dot-com bust and the 2008-09 credit crisis ... - What’s Your Money Script?
Money is power. A fool and his money are soon parted. A penny saved is a penny earned.
Do any of ... - How can I protect myself from digital deception?
Imagine that you receive an email with an urgent message asking you to verify your banking information by clicking on ... - How Much Money Should A Family Borrow For College?
There is no magic formula to determine how much you or your child should borrow to pay for college. But ... - Key Retirement & Tax Numbers for 2018
Every year, the Internal Revenue Service announces cost-of-living adjustments that affect contribution limits for retirement plans, thresholds for deductions and ... - Always Factor Inflation into Retirement Planning
Inflation is one of the key factors you will need to consider when planning for retirement. Not only will the ... - Spring Cleaning Your Finances
While most spring cleaning projects are likely focused on your home, spring is also a good time to evaluate and ... - 4 Ways to Double the Power of Your Tax Refund
What you do with a tax refund is up to you, but below are some ideas that may make your ... - Is the Social Security Administration Still Mailing Social Security Statements?
Your Social Security Statement provides important information about your Social Security record and future benefits. For several years, the Social ... - Paying Off Holiday Credit Card Debt
It’s a common occurrence once the holiday season winds down — you reluctantly look at your credit card statement and ... - Company Stock & Your Portfolio: Keep Your Eye On Concentration Risk
The opportunity to acquire company stock — inside or outside a workplace retirement plan — can be a lucrative employee ... - If I Donate Used Property To Charity, What Documentation Is Needed?
The documentation needed to obtain a federal income tax deduction for donating used property to charity typically depends on the ... - IRA Charitable Rollover Offers Unique Giving Opportunity
An IRA Charitable Rollover provides owners of IRAs with a unique giving opportunity to support the causes they care about ... - Five Common Financial Aid Myths
With some private colleges now crossing the once unthinkable $70,000-per-year mark in the 2017-2018 school year, and higher costs at ... - Deductions For Donating A Car To Charity If you donate your car to charity, you can claim an income tax deduction for the donation if you itemize ...
- How To Avoid Becoming The Victim Of A Cybercrime
According to the Identity Theft Resource Institute, the number of U.S. data breaches in 2016 increased by 40%. As recently ... - Does Your Business Need a Buy-Sell Agreement?
A key decision to consider when owning your own business, is what would happen if you decide to step away, ... - Medicare & Your Employer Health Plan
When you’re eligible for both types of coverage, you’ll need to consider the benefits and costs, and navigate an array ... - How Economists Measure Inflation, and Why It Matters
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) adjusts interest rates to help keep inflation near a 2% target. The FOMC’s preferred ... - Future of the Federal Estate Tax While no one can predict the future, the possibility of tax reform is once again in the spotlight. If it ...
- Life Is For The Living, So Is Life Insurance
September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. Now is a good time to reflect on how life insurance can help those ... - Six Tips for Making Smart & Effective Charitable Donations
With so many charities to choose from, it’s more important than ever to ensure your donation is well spent.
Here are ... - Is it Wise to Trade Your Pension for a Lump Sum?
Most private employers have already replaced traditional pensions, which promise lifetime income payments in retirement, with defined contribution plans such ... - What is a Funeral Trust?
A funeral trust is an arrangement entered into with a provider of funeral or burial services. Prepaying funeral expenses may ... - Don’t Let Rising Interest Rates Catch You by Surprise
The Federal Reserve doesn’t directly control consumer interest rates, but changes to the federal funds rate (the rate banks use ... - The Health Wealth Connection
It’s a vicious cycle: Money is one of the greatest causes of stress, prolonged stress can lead to serious health ... - Older Americans Carrying More Student Loan Debt
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), although most student loan borrowers are young adults between the ages of ... - Alternatives to Long-Term Care Insurance
The costs of long-term care can be overwhelming, potentially exhausting retirement income and savings. You may be thinking about buying ... - Four Numbers You Need to Know Now
When it comes to your finances, you might easily overlook some of the numbers that really count. Here are four ... - Converting Retirement Savings into Retirement Income
You’ve been saving diligently for years, and now it’s time to think about how to convert the money in your ... - Mid-Year 2017: An Investment Reality Check
Many investors may be tempted to review their portfolios only when the markets hit a rough patch, but careful planning ... - Tax Benefits of Homeownership
One of the most important tax benefits of owning a home is that you may be able to deduct any ... - Is Smart Beta a Smart Strategy for You?
Traditional investment indexes such as the S&P 500 are weighted based on market capitalization, the value of a company’s total ... - Reasons to Consider a Phased Retirement
In its broadest sense, a phased retirement is a gradual change in your work patterns as you head into retirement. ... - The Difference Between a Direct & Indirect Rollover
If you’re eligible to receive a taxable distribution from an employer-sponsored retirement plan , you can avoid current ... - The Difference Between Medicare and Medicaid
It’s easy to confuse Medicare and Medicaid, particularly since they’re both government programs that pay for health care. However, there ... - Choosing A Credit Card Reward Offer Credit card reward programs are more popular than ever. In order to keep up with such high demand in a ...
- How Grandparents Can Help Bridge the College Cost Gap
If you’re a grandparent who would like to help fund your grandchild’s college education, here are some strategies.
529 college savings ... - ABLE Disability Savings Accounts and Federal Tax
Assets in an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account for a disabled person are generally not subject to federal ... - Whether or not to Accept Your Employer’s Early-Retirement Offer
The right answer for you will depend on your situation. First of all, don’t underestimate the psychological impact of early ... - Surviving the College Application Process The college application process can be stressful. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed trying to manage numerous applications, each with varying ...
- Can I Still Earn Interest on Matured U.S. Savings Bonds Or Roll Them Over to Another Savings Bond?
Once U.S. savings bonds have reached maturity, they stop earning interest. Prior to 2004, you could convert your Series E ... - Retain and Reward Key Employees with an Executive Bonus Plan
One way business owners can try to retain and reward their key employees is by offering extra compensation in the ... - Earnings Call: A Closer Look at Financial Reports
Publicly traded companies are required to report quarterly financial results to regulators and shareholders. Earnings season is the often-turbulent period when ... - All About Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Accounts
Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts for individuals with disabilities that are generally used to ... - Common Questions About Student Loan Repayment
If you’ve recently graduated from college, you might have some concerns about how you’ll pay your student loans. Here are ... - Considerations for Having Aging Parents Move in With You
Many members of the “sandwich generation,” a group loosely defined as people in their 40s to 60s who are “sandwiched” ... - Top Financial Concerns of Baby Boomers, Generation Xers & Millennials
According to an April 2016 employee financial wellness survey, baby boomers (50%), Gen Xers (56%), and millennials (60%) share the ... - How Consumers Drive The Nation’s GDP
Gross domestic product (GDP) is a measurement of the total value of all goods and services produced in the United ... - Five Things to Know About Inherited IRAs
When an IRA owner dies, the IRA proceeds are payable to the named beneficiary — or to the owner’s estate ... - 2016 Year-End Tax Tips
Below are some key points to consider as you weigh potential tax moves between now and the end of the ... - Clusters, Crowdfunding and Other Ways Small Businesses Survive
Small business owners must rely on their own ingenuity and innovation to survive. Fortunately, over the past decade, innovation has ... - Health Care Options For Those Who Retire Early If you’re eligible for any early-retirement package from your employer, determine whether post-retirement medical coverage is included. These packages sometimes ...
- The Importance of Saving for Retirement at a Young Age
There are four very important advantages to begin planning and saving for retirement in your 20s.
1) Money management skills
Now that ... - Rates on the Rise: Strategies for Fixed-Income Investors
A long period of low yields has been challenging for many fixed-income investors, but owning bond investments in a rising ... - Types & Differences of Government Savings Bonds
While the U.S. government has issued 13 types of savings bonds, there are currently only two series available for purchase ... - What You Need to Know About Home Sharing Sites Like Airbnb
Home sharing sites like Airbnb are online services through which someone offers to rent their home or a portion of ... - 4 Reasons People Spend Too Much
Even if you understand the basic financial concepts of budgeting, saving and monitoring your money, you may not be in ... - Can I Name a Charity as a Beneficiary of My IRA?
You can name a charity as beneficiary of your IRA, but be sure to understand the advantages and disadvantages.
Generally, a ... - Finding & Claiming Forgotten Funds
As a child, you may have dreamed of finding buried treasure, but you probably realized at an early age that ... - Life Insurance Options After Retirement
Life insurance can serve many valuable purposes during your life. However, once you’ve retired, you may no longer feel the ... - Common Financial Wisdom: Theory vs. Practice
In the financial world, there are a lot of rules about what you should be doing. In theory, they sound ... - Considerations for Opening Teen’s First Checking Account
Starting out on one’s own in college involves many financial firsts. Opening a checking account to manage money might be ... - What’s New in the World of Higher Education
Higher college costs
Total average costs for the 2015/2016 school year increased about 3% from the previous year: $24,061 for public ... - Are There Gaps In Your Insurance Coverage?
Buying insurance is about sharing or shifting risk. Here are some coverage gaps to consider when reviewing your own insurance ... - What Happens After I File the FAFSA?
After you submit the federal government’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you will receive a Student Aid Report ... - Protecting Your Business from Cyber Threats
Risk management is a key component in any successful business plan. In today’s world — where data breaches are common ... - Pros & Cons of Working from Home
Imagine that your employer gives you the choice between either working from home or commuting to the office throughout your ... - What are Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)?
Traditional IRAs and employer retirement plans such as 401(k)s and 403(b)s offer several tax advantages including the ability to defer ... - Reasons to Consider a Phased Retirement
In its broadest sense, a phased retirement is a gradual change in your work patterns as you head into retirement. ... - Six Potential 401(k) Rollover Pitfalls
You’re about to receive a distribution from your 401(k) plan, and you’re considering a rollover to a traditional IRA. While ... - Cost of Living: Where You Live Can Affect How Rich You Feel
Do you find yourself treading water financially even with a relatively healthy household income? Does your friend or relative halfway ... - Periodic Review of Your Estate Plan Will Alert You To Any Necessary Changes
An estate plan allows you to control what happens to your property if you die or become incapacitated. Periodically reviewing ... - Assessing Portfolio Performance: Choose Your Benchmarks Wisely
You can’t help but hear about the frequent ups and downs of the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the S&P ... - Should I Delay Taking My First Required Minimum Distribution?
Your first required minimum distribution (RMD) from a traditional IRA and an employer retirement plan must be taken for the ... - Think Twice Before Counting on a COLA
The rising costs of food, gas, electricity and health care can strain anyone’s budget. The situation is even worse if ... - Taxes, Retirement & Timing Social Security
The advantages of tax deferral are often emphasized when it comes to saving for retirement. So it might seem smart ... - Do You Know Which Birthdays Are Financial Milestones? Take Our Quiz to Find Out! When it comes to your finances, some birthdays are more important than others. Take this quiz to see if you ...
- Tips for Filing Your 2015 Federal Income Tax Return
This year’s filing deadline for most individuals is Monday, April 18, 2016, since Emancipation Day, a legal holiday in Washington ... - What to Know About Buying a Fixer-Upper
Buying a fixer-upper property — either to keep or resell — comes with some important considerations.
Why purchase a fixer-upper?
Profit potential ... - New Social Security Claiming Rules
When Congress unexpectedly eliminated two Social Security claiming strategies as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, retirement planning ... - Know the Basics of Compound Interest
When Benjamin Franklin died in 1790, he left the equivalent of $4,400 each to the cities of Boston and Philadelphia ... - Five Ways to Manage Risk in Your Retirement Savings Plan
Your employer-sponsored retirement savings plan is a convenient way to help you accumulate money for retirement. However, choosing to participate ... - Give Your Retirement Plan an Annual Checkup
Financial professionals typically recommend that you review your employer-sponsored retirement savings plan annually and when major life changes occur. If ... - Raising Financially Responsible Kids
Teaching your children the financial basics at a young age can give them a head start to achieving future financial ... - What you need to create a will
A will is a legal document that is generally used to describe how you want your estate to be distributed ... - Planned Charitable Giving
Although writing a check at year-end is one of the most common ways to give to charity, planned giving may ... - Dealing with Medical Billing Issues
Due to the complex nature of today’s medical billing industry, it’s difficult for many consumers to know exactly what they ... - Don’t forget about year-end investment planning As the year draws to a close, there might be a slew of tasks on your to-do list. One task ...
- Protecting your social security number Your Social Security number is one of your most important personal identifiers. If identity thieves obtain your Social Security number, ...
- Correlation and portfolio performance Different types of investments are subject to different types of risk. On days when you notice that stock prices have ...
- Claiming survivor’s & death benefits After the death of a spouse, you may be eligible to receive survivor’s benefits and death benefits from government sources, ...
- Changing your legal name: Social security impact Whenever an individual legally changes his or her name, it is important to contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) as ...
- Create a financial plan to get and keep your finances on track October 4th through 10th is National Financial Planning Week. Now is a great time to ask yourself some key financial ...
- Six life insurance beneficiary mistakes to avoid Life insurance has long been recognized as a useful way to provide for your heirs and loved ones when you ...
- 5 tips to tame financial stress A recent report* by the American Psychological Association (APA) showed 72% of adults feel stressed about money at least some ...
- Securing your financial future following the death of your spouse As a widow or widower, you may face financial challenges that didn’t exist when your spouse was alive. You may ...
- Understanding the penalty tax regarding qualifying health insurance One of the main objectives of the health-care reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), is to ...
- Avoiding probate: Is it worth it? When you die, your estate goes through a process that manages, settles, and distributes your property according to the terms ...
- Low interest rates, housing inventory, lead to stronger housing market After nearly 10 years of limping along toward recovery, it appears the housing market has finally hit a more comfortable ...
- Military service members survivors & death benefits Widows, widowers, and other qualified survivors of military service men and women, are eligible for a number of survivor’s and ...
- Age-based tips for making the most of your retirement savings plan No matter what your age, your work-based retirement savings plan can be a key component of your overall financial strategy. ...
- How to file a life insurance benefit claim Life insurance benefits are not automatic. If you are the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, you must file a ...
- Understanding different types of life insurance policies There are a number of different types of life insurance policies. Following the death of a spouse, widows and widowers ...
- How does divorce affect Social Security retirement benefits? If you were counting on your spouse’s Social Security benefits to provide some of your retirement income, what happens now ...
- Millennials vs. boomers: How wide is the gap? It’s no secret there are a lot of differences between Baby Boomers, born between 1946 &1964, and Millennials, born after ...
- Immediate considerations/notifications following death of a spouse As a recent widow or widower, you’ll face many personal and financial challenges in the following months. You should contact ...
- Reviewing your finances mid-year Mid-year is an ideal time to review your finances. Often, during the summer, the demands on your time are fewer, ...
- Self-directed IRAs A self-directed IRA refers to any individual retirement account (traditional or Roth) that allows you to direct the investment of ...
- How does your 529 plan stack up against the competition? Mediocre investment returns, higher-than-average fees, limited investment options and flexibility — these factors might lead you to conclude you could ...
- 15 ways to save on your next vacation It’s that time of year again. Many of us are gearing up to take a summer vacation. Whether your vacation ...
- Converting your after-tax 401(k) dollars to a Roth IRA Here’s the dilemma: You have a traditional 401(k) that contains both after-tax and pre-tax dollars. You’d like to receive a ...
- Ins and outs of special needs trust A special needs trust* (SNT) is a trust that is established to benefit a disabled person or a person who ...
- When your child asks for a loan, should you say yes? If your adult child asks you for a loan, don’t pull out your checkbook until you’ve examined the financial and ...
- Retirement withdrawal rates key to sustainable retirement funds Your retirement lifestyle will depend on your assets and investment choices, but also on how quickly you draw down your ...
- Paying the IRS in installments Unfortunately, not everyone gets a refund during tax season. If you are in the unenviable position of owing a large ...
- Points to consider if your retirement goals seem out of reach Each year in its annual Retirement Confidence Survey, the Employee Benefit Research institute reiterates that goal setting is a key ...
- Evaluating college acceptances The period of time between college acceptances and deposit can be intense as students and parents weigh a number of ...
- Estate planning for second marriage If you’re anything like the typical person contemplating a second (or third) marriage, you are older, have children, have accumulated ...
- Considerations for becoming a franchise owner Owning a franchise can be a great way to break into the world of entrepreneurship. However, franchising isn’t for everyone. ...
- How much can I contribute to my IRA in 2015? The combined amount you can contribute to your traditional and Roth IRAs remains at $5,500 for 2015, or $6,500 if ...
- Don’t underestimate the need for disability insurance Being unable to work could result from any number of circumstances. Cancer, heart disease, worsening medical conditions like diabetes, injuries ...
- Withdrawing money from an IRA for down payment on a house Whether you may be subject to a penalty tax depends on a number of factors, such as your age at ...
- New one-rollover-per-year rule The Internal Revenue Code says if you receive a distribution from an IRA, you can’t make a tax-free (60-day) rollover ...
- Last-minute tax tips It’s that time of the year again — tax filing season. Fortunately, even for procrastinators, there is still time to ...
- Don’t fall victim to scams this tax season Though tax scams can occur throughout the year, they are especially prevalent during tax season. Being vigilant and keeping a ...
- Should life insurance be part of your retirement plan? Here are some situations where life insurance may make sense for retirees, or those close to retirement. Benefits at death Should you ...
- Buying supplemental health insurance: Medigap Unfortunately, Medicare won’t cover all of your health-care costs during retirement. You may want to buy a supplemental medical insurance ...
- Handling market volatility Even if you view market volatility as a normal occurrence, it can be tough to handle when it’s your money ...
- Investing as a couple: Getting to a compromise In a perfect world, both halves of a couple would share the same investment goals and agree on the best ...
- Key IRS numbers 2015 Every year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announces cost-of-living adjustments that affect contribution limits for retirement plans, thresholds for deductions ...
- 10 financial terms everyone should know Understand financial matters can be difficult if you don’t understand the jargon. Becoming familiar with these 10 financial terms may ...
- How to manage impact of interest rate hike With higher interest rates a distinct possibility in 2015, you may want to think about whether the bond portion of ...
- Digital assets should be included in estate planning In today’s digital age, many individuals live at least a part of their life online. Whether you share your life ...
- Transferring a business to your children If you’re considering handing over the reins of your family business to your children, it’s important to understand the income, ...
- Avoid an accidental disinheritance by keeping will up-to-date One of the most tragic estate planning mistakes is unintentionally disinheriting an heir. Here are some of the most common ...
- How to purposefully disinherit an heir While you can easily disinherit a nonheir by not mentioning him or her in your will, the rules are more ...
- How can college students can save and spend money wisely? College is a pivotal time in a young adult’s life. Students gain a sense of independence, accompanied by responsibility — ...
- Helping aging parents manage their money Many seniors may be reluctant to accept advice or help from their children, or even discuss living expenses, health care ...
- The importance of timing a Roth conversion Conventional wisdom holds if you convert a traditional IRA to a Roth, you should never pay the conversion taxes from ...
- What to look for in a financial advisor I’ve seen a number of articles lately directing consumers toward finding the lowest cost investment, often without regard to performance ...
- Paying for long-term insurance with tax-free funds The high cost of long-term care can quickly drain your savings, absorb most of your income and affect the quality ...
- Don’t derail your employer-sponsored retirement plan As a participant in your work-sponsored retirement savings plan, you’ve made a commitment to yourself and your family, to prepare ...
- Income tax considerations for leaving assets to heirs An inheritance is generally worth only what your heirs get to keep after taxes. When evaluating whom to leave property ...
- Differences between saving and investing Financially speaking, the terms “saving” and “investing” are often used interchangeably. But the concepts behind these terms actually have some ...
- How biases can affect investment decisions Over the past few decades, a new school of thought has emerged that examines how human psychological factors influence economic ...
- Common mortgage mistakes to avoid Navigating the complex world of mortgages can be difficult. As a result, it’s easy to make mistakes when applying for ...
- Don’t neglect state taxes when considering retiring and relocating Below are some considerations if you’re thinking of retiring and relocating to a state with low tax rates or that ...
- Understanding investment income tax You may have to pay an additional tax on investment income, depending on a few important factors. A 3.8% net investment ...
- Factors that can negatively impact your credit report Having a good credit report is important when it comes to personal finance, because most lenders use credit reports to ...
- Monitoring your portfolio It’s important to monitor your investment portfolio and update it periodically. Even if you’ve chosen an asset allocation, market forces ...
- Should you pay off your mortgage during retirement? For many homeowners, paying off a mortgage is a financial milestone. This is especially true when you are retired. To pay ...
- Consider the real rate of return on your money If you’re like most people, you probably want to know what return you might expect before you invest. But to translate ...
- Quiz: How much do you know about Social Security? According to the Social Security Administration, an estimated 185 million workers are covered under Social Security.* How much do you ...
- Taking a career break? Consider these helpful tips Balancing the commitments of both work and family can be a struggle for many women. As a result, you may ...
- Business owners: Don’t neglect your own retirement plan Consider managing your risk now by investing in a tax-advantaged retirement account. Employer-sponsored retirement plans offer a number of potential ...
- Estate planning and income tax basis Income tax basis can be important when deciding whether to make gifts now or transfer property at your death. This ...
- Investing in yourself can help you stay on long-term savings track Retirement. College. Emergency fund. Home repairs. Check, check, check and check. If you’ve been saving faithfully each month for some ...
- Bonds vs. Bond Funds: Which is better when interest rates rise? The Federal Reserve expects to begin raising its target rate sometime in the near future. Since bond prices fall when ...
- Do your homework before donating to charity Before you give to a charity, it’s advisable to ask a few important questions when considering which charitable organization to ...
- Should you pay off your mortgage during retirement? For many homeowners, paying off a mortgage is a financial milestone. This is especially true when you are retired. To pay ...
- How to understand a disclaimer of property A disclaimer is an estate planning tool that allows you to redistribute transfers of property free from transfer taxes. A ...
- Financial myths, mistakes & misunderstandings Throughout our financial lives, we may be influenced by myths, mistakes and misunderstandings. Here are just a few: “I don’t invest ...
- Tax considerations for gifts to children If you make significant gifts to your children, there are a number of factors to consider. Transfers that are not taxable ...
- What is the Federal Reserve and what does it do? The Federal Reserve — or “the Fed,” as it’s commonly called — is the central bank of the United States. ...
- Whether or not you should unwind your Qualified Personal Residence Trust When the economy dips, it’s not uncommon for real estate that has been transferred to a Qualified Personal Residence Trust ...
- What to do if your debit or credit card information is part of a data breach Now, more than ever, consumers are relying on the convenience of credit and debit cards to make everyday purchases. With ...
- Factors to consider before co-signing your child’s student loan Deciding whether to save for your child/children’s college education, your own retirement, or both is often a financial dilemma for ...
- Steps to take after Qualified Personal Residence Trust has terminated In a qualified personal residence trust (QPRT), you (the grantor) transfer your primary residence to the trust for a term ...
- 10 Basic tax to-dos before end of 2014 1. Make time to plan There’s real opportunity for tax savings when you assess whether you’ll be paying taxes at a lower ...
- Financial choices: should you save for college, retirement or both? Deciding whether to save for your child/children’s college education, your own retirement, or both is often a financial dilemma for ...
- 10 Tax breaks that no longer apply in 2014 At midnight on December 31, 2013, a number of popular tax benefits, commonly included in the list of provisions referred ...
- Even rich and famous sometimes fail to plan properly It’s almost impossible to overstate the importance of estate planning, regardless of the size of your estate or your age. ...
- Learning to separate the concepts of speculation from disciplined investing For some of us, it’s hard to give up on the idea that investing should be exciting. Picking stocks can ...
- Important tasks and financial steps following death of loved one Losing a loved one is a difficult experience. Yet, during this time, you must complete a variety of tasks and ...
- How divorce affects retirement benefits Since retirement plan benefits are frequently among the most valuable marital assets, it’s important to understand how those benefits may ...
- Rules for 401(k) in-plan Roth conversions now easier Thanks to the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), the rules for making 401(k) in –plan Roth conversions have ...
- Five principles of investing Below I’ve outlined five of what I consider tried and true investment principles, which I believe will remain relevant to ...
- Social Security benefits & facts It’s easy to take Social Security for granted when retirement is years away, but with 94% of the U.S. workforce ...
- Tax benefits of turning trash into treasure If you have used clothing, household goods, or a car that you no longer need, you may be able to ...
- Can you make some green through ‘green investing’? The recently released report from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has spurred renewed discussion of ways to ...
- Tips for traveling abroad For many people, there’s perhaps nothing more exciting than traveling to a new country. But before you take off on ...
- Saving for the future: start now or later? There are many ways to reach a future goal. You can save now, or you can save later (or perhaps ...
- Figuring out real estate tax on sale of home In general, when you sell your home, any amount you receive over your cost basis (what you paid for the ...
- Personal finance tips for recent graduates Recent graduates face new financial challenges, along with determining future financial goals they want to accomplish. Fortunately, there are some ...
- Women face unique challenges regarding retirement savings Women can face special challenges when saving for retirement. Generally speaking, women tend to spend less time in the workforce, ...
- Charitable giving comes in many different forms Charitable giving can play an important role in estate planning. Philanthropy can provide personal satisfaction, an income tax deduction, help ...
- Parental loans can interfere with adult children’s mortgage applications Many parents feel inclined to assist their grown children with purchasing their first home. Whether through a gift or through ...
- Spring cleaning your debt Spring is a good time to evaluate your debit situation and try to reduce and/or eliminate any debt obligations you ...
- Teach children financial basics April is Financial Literacy Month. Now is a great time to start teaching your children the financial basics. As soon ...
- 10 Ways to Stay Sane in a Crazy Market Keeping your cool can be hard to do when the market goes on a roller-coaster ride. It’s useful to have ...
- Think Outside the Shoebox When Organizing Financial Records If you’ve ever had trouble finding an important financial document, you know why it’s necessary to keep your financial records ...
- Married Filing Jointly or Separately…The Choice is Yours If you are married, you generally have a choice of filing your federal income tax return(s) as married filing jointly ...
- What’s New in the World of Higher Education Whether your child is expecting college decisions any day now or you’re planning ahead for future years, here’s what’s new ...
- New rules to consider when filing your 2013 income tax return While most individuals will pay taxes based on the same federal income tax rate brackets that applied for 2012, a ...
- Is College Scholarship Taxable or Non-Taxable? If a scholarship is used to pay for tuition, fees, books, supplies, or equipment required for admission, then it’s not ...
- Gift Tax Strategies Can Benefit Family Today’s large gift tax applicable exclusion amount, low gift tax rates, depressed property values, and low interest rates create a ...