Posted by Richard on February 9, 2017
Years back, retailers got wise to the ways of store brands. You know the drill: Grocers stock their shelves with food items packaged just for them, from pasta sauces to pinto beans. For most, gone are the days of those products signaling to customers that yes, they’re less expensive than national brands — and less […]
Read More →Posted by Richard on October 13, 2016
You know that $25,000 car you’ve had your eye on? In just 10 years, it could cost almost $34,000, assuming prices rise by a mere 3% per year. That’s the reality of inflation, which is commonly understood as the increase in the price of any product or service. While the consumer price index (CPI), which […]
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Financial planning is a complex, lifelong process that people tend to approach with a numbers orientation. What rate of return do I need to reach my goal? How much insurance do I need? Can I afford a bigger house? How much money do I need to save for retirement? To support their pursuit of the […]
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Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America affecting millions of unsuspecting individuals each year. A dishonest person who has your Social Security number can use it to obtain tax and other financial and personal information about you. Identity thieves can get your Social Security number by: Stealing wallets, purses, and your […]
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Families with students heading off to college this fall take note: The interest rates on all newly-issued federal loans have been reduced for the coming academic year — but those reductions are much more pronounced for student borrowers than for their parents.1 For instance, the interest rate on Stafford subsidized and unsubsidized loans for undergraduates […]
Read More →Posted by Richard on September 6, 2016
If you take a taxable distribution from your IRA before age 59½, you generally will be required to pay a 10% additional federal tax. However, in certain situations, you may be able to avoid the imposition of the added tax. One little-known penalty exception is available to IRA owners who take substantially equal periodic payments […]
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It is well documented that Americans in general are underprepared financially for retirement. Yet less attention is given to the fact that life insurance — a standard supplemental vehicle to retirement accounts and other investments — is underutilized by all generations of retirement savers. Recent research conducted by Life Insurance and Market Research Association (LIMRA) […]
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Here are the facts. Generally speaking, women earn less than men, live longer than men, and often take time out of the workforce to have children and/or to care for an aging parent or sick loved one. The potential consequence of these realities? While most U.S. workers are facing a retirement savings deficit, for women, […]
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Most 401(k) plan sponsors offer their employees some type of matching contributions. The most common match, according to the Plan Sponsor Council of America, is 50 cents for every dollar an employee contributes to the plan, up to 6% of compensation.1 The reason for offering this benefit is simple: The availability of matching contributions encourages […]
Read More →Posted by Richard on August 17, 2016
These days, it is vitally important for individuals to set money aside for retirement during their working years. Unfortunately, not every employee thinks so. Which explains why some employer-sponsored retirement plans have low participation rates. If your company’s retirement plan participation rate disappoints you, there may be an easy fix. Why not put your plan […]
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