How to Recognize and Address Cognitive Impairment
Many of us have experienced our own “senior moments.” Where are the car keys? Why did I come into this room? What’s the name of that person? Most of these memory lapses are a normal part of life and are very manageable. On the other hand, cognitive impairment can progress to a point where it’s […]
Common Issues Found in Estate Planning Documents
You don’t have to be a skilled estate planning lawyer to spot an issue that should be addressed in your estate planning documents. Here are some common areas you can review for potential changes. No Documents Hopefully none of you are in this situation, but if you are please begin your estate planning soon. Indeed, […]
The History of Money in America – Part 2
Last month, I posted the first part of this article. It talked about the origins of money, money in the colonies and money used during the revolution. It also included the first part of our use of money after the revolution. That’s where we’ll pick up the story this month… Post-Revolutionary Coins – Part 2 […]
The History of Money in America – Part 1
Investors commonly think about their wealth in terms of money. We say that a person is worth so much money even if their actual assets are stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities or whatever. Their value is assessed in dollars which makes it very easy to convert from one asset type to another or to transfer […]
Saving vs. Investing
Many of the things we’d like out of life require the accumulation of wealth over time. Our first home, a new car, college for the kids, money to use should we lose our job and planning for retirement are common examples. There are two high-level approaches to collecting enough wealth to meet such needs. These […]
Saving 101
If you’re just starting out in life or maybe never established a regular saving habit, this article is for you! Many of our goals in life can only be achieved by saving for them. They’re simply too expensive to come up with the required funds on the fly. The Keys to Saving The #1 key […]
2021 Tax Law Changes
Well, it’s finally a new year. I know we’re all hoping it will be better than 2020! As you make your plans for 2021, one of the things to take note of is the change in contribution limits and other tax changes. 401(k)Let’s start with 401(k) contributions, since that’s a retirement fund that I view […]
Year-End Financial To-Do List
Yep, 2020 is almost over. (I know, many of us are saying thank goodness!) There’s so much going on in December that it’s difficult to find time for the important, but none urgent items. Here are a few important financial items that it would be good to take a look at. Holiday Debt It’s so […]
Comprehensive Financial Planning
Your financial well-being depends on a number of factors and they’re all important. For example, suppose you don’t properly understand how much you need for retirement and you consequentially run out of funds near the end of your life. Or, suppose your savings are on track, but that a major medical event or a liability […]
Tax Planning 2020
Believe it or not, we’re about three months from the end of the (calendar) tax year. However, there’s still time to lower your 2020 taxes. Here are some commonly used approaches to reducing taxes. Lower Your Income via a Tax-Deferred Savings Plan Tax-deferred savings plans let you reduce your Adjusted Gross Income by the amount […]