Forget inflation. Forget oil prices. Forget Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Forget layoffs in the tech sector. Forget the yield curve. When I sat down to write about what worked for investors in...
Tag: Retirement planning
Opinion: It’s time to buy I-bonds again. Here are 3 ways to maximize your $10,000 inflation-fighting investment.
The once-obscure Treasury investment soared in popularity last year because of its enticing inflation-adjusted rate, which peaked at 9.62%. That leapfrogged bank deposit accounts and completely trounc...
Why this Japanese idea can lead to a more fulfilling retirement
Typical New Year’s resolutions, financially speaking, tend to be things like:” I’ll save more,” “I’ll reduce debt” or “I’ll become smarter about investing.” I’d like to offer a different one for 2023,...
I want to retire in 4 years on $3,100 a month. Is this enough, and do I need a pro to help?
Getty Images/iStockphoto Question: I’m retiring in four years at $3,100 a month income, per my calculations. How can I stretch this amount as far as possible, and should I hire a professional planner ...
5 tax, investment changes that could boost your finances in 2023
1. Bigger contribution limits on retirement accounts If you’re eager to boost your retirement savings, there’s good news for 2023: higher contribution limits for your 401(k) and individual...
Fund a Roth 401(k) if You’re in a Low Tax Bracket. Here’s Why.
If you’re not earning big bucks this year, consider saving money in a Roth 401(k) instead of a traditional 401(k). Roth contributions make sense when your current tax rate is less than your rate in re...
‘I dug myself out of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle’: Should I use my bonus to pay off my mortgage, put it in a savings account or Vanguard?
Dear Quentin, Over the last couple years I dug myself out of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle, and I am making good money. I never learned about stocks, investing, etc. I do not have a 401(k) at work. M...
Workers and retirees are getting some year-end goodies from Washington
America’s workers and retirees are getting some nice year-end gifts from Washington. As part of a bigger bill to keep the government running, Congress has passed, and President Biden has signed, somet...
With this simple year-end change to your retirement accounts, you can reap significant tax rewards
If you are a middle-income earner, you may be in a much better position tax-wise than you realize. That’s good news: You may be able to take advantage of that better position to strengthen your retire...
Here’s What a $1 Million Retirement Looks Like in America
Once a symbol of extravagant wealth, $1 million is now the retirement-savings goal for millions of Americans. For retirees able to accumulate $1 million in savings, the funds translate into inflation-...
A Reckoning for Crypto and FTX
To the Editor:I’ve been hoping for some sort of catalyst that would implode the crypto market, and it has finally happened (“The Crypto Ice Age Is Here. What’s Ahead for Bitcoin and the Stocks,” Dec. ...
Six Ways to Protect Your Money in 2023
The highest inflation in four decades. A bear market in stocks. Fears of a recession. A crypto implosion. The past year was a trying one for American households. It strained their budgets, reduced the...
Tax-free rollovers from 529 plans to Roth IRAs may be allowed in 2024
Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images Americans who save for college in 529 plans may soon have a way to rescue unused funds while keeping their tax benefits intact. A $1.7 trillion government funding bill p...
How to maximize your tax deduction for charitable donations
Members of the Salvation Army play music during the lighting of the world’s largest Red Kettle in the Times Square neighborhood of New York, U.S., on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020. Jeenah Moon | Bloombe...
The Secure Act Will Change Retirement Policy. 6 Big Changes That Will Soon Become Law.
Now that the Senate has passed a sweeping spending bill to fund the federal government into next year and avert a shutdown, advisors are cheering a major overhaul of the rules around retirement saving...
6 Big Changes to Your Retirement That Are Coming
Now that the Senate has passed a sweeping spending bill to fund the federal government into next year and avert a shutdown, advisors are cheering a major overhaul of the rules around retirement saving...
Earn extra money with a side gig—here are 6 good ones for retirees
If inflation and the gyrating stock market has you fretting over your financial security in retirement, you’re not alone. Fully 71% of boomers recently surveyed by Bankrate said they are behind on ret...
Your Retirement Plans Will Change With the $1.7 Trillion Federal Spending Bill
Congress is poised to approve a $1.7 trillion spending bill this week that seeks to avert a government shutdown and boost the savings of Americans by making significant changes to their retirement pla...
Secure 2.0 Act Nears the Finish Line. What to Know About the Retirement Bill.
Legislation that would encourage saving for retirement and increase the age for taking required minimum distributions is nearing passage on Capitol Hill as part of an omnibus spending bill lawmakers a...
You can still reduce your 2022 tax bill with some last-minute moves
‘Take lemons and make lemonade’ with tax-loss harvesting With the S&P 500 Index down nearly 20% for 2022 as of midday Dec. 19, it may be a good time for tax-loss harvesting, which allo...
Big Changes to 401(k) Retirement Plans Move Ahead in Congress
Listen to article (2 minutes) Congress is on the verge of passing a bill that aims to help Americans save more for retirement and leave their retirement savings untouched and untaxed for longer. The b...
21% of investors don’t think they pay fees. Here’s why they’re wrong
Damircudic | E+ | Getty Images More than a fifth of investors don’t think they pay any fees for their investment accounts, an industry survey has found. Most of them, however, are likely wrong —...
Amid inflation and recession fears, 10 money moves you should make in 2023
Getty Images/iStockphoto While inflation is cooling, projections still point to elevated consumer prices next year. What’s more, recession threats remain high, unemployment may rise and investors are ...
Opinion: Five easy, but consequential, actions to take before 2023 to boost your finances
Forget about New Year’s resolutions. Keep it simple with these “one and done” steps now. Best of all, they will improve your financial situation for the whole of 2023. Here are five things to do today...
Moving into a retirement community, how to know when you have enough saved, the best RMD strategies and more retirement news
From MarketWatch Retirement: How much should you have saved for retirement? Aim for these age-related benchmarks as you save for retirement. These are the top 10 mistakes people make when planning fo...
How much should you have saved for retirement?
When I was in my 20s, I was lucky to work for a company that offered a pension plan—and that put me on the road to retirement. Today, unfortunately, company pensions are rare. How can you ensure a com...
‘Am I crazy?’ I’ve paid my fiancée rent for 9 years and spent $10,000 improving her home. She’s also listed on my health insurance. What would you do?
I have a situation that is causing a lot of issues in my relationship. We have been dating for 17 years, have lived together for close to nine years and have been engaged for six. When I moved into h...