There is a lot to consider when evaluating current or prospective advisors. And you should ask them important questions like: How are you paid? What is your primary expertise? Are you a fivduciary? What are your investment beliefs? – to name...
Many adults dream of becoming homeowners one day, but some buyers may have to wait even longer to get their names on a mortgage — if they can manage to do so at all. According to the Federal Reserve Bank...
At the risk of sounding like a Facebook friend trying to fold you into my latest direct sales venture: Early retirement is possible. If you read the Internet, you might already know this is true. It’s been done; in fact,...
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes … the visit to the financial advisor? Yes, getting married means sharing your financial life. And if you've been visiting a financial professional as a singleton, then tying the knot should include a rethink...
Forget the myths about Medicare being broke. Here's the truth. There are several popular misconceptions about the financial condition of Medicare, which virtually all American senior citizens rely on to cover health care expenses in retirement. Many people believe that...
Qualified retirement plans are designed to be used solely for retirement income. Taxable withdrawals from these plans before age 59.5 are generally assessed an additional 10% “early distribution tax” by the IRS. (The additional tax for SIMPLE IRA plans is...
Owning a small business isn't like owning stock in a publicly traded company. With stocks, you can always calculate the market value of the entire business just by multiplying the market price of the stock by the number of outstanding...
For many of us, retirement can seem like a problem for later. I need money now; why should I bother saving money for when I’m 70? I’ve got rent due and groceries to buy this week, not this week plus...
As Courtney Minor began a master's program in vocal performance, she made sure to heed some well-known advice: Stick to federal government student loans. In completing the two-year program at Longy School of Music of Bard College in Boston in 2009, Minor racked...
A million dollars is a lot of money, isn't it? Not when you're looking to finance your entire retirement. If you've got $1 million tucked away in your retirement savings by the time you're ready to retire, you won't starve,...
Many people turn to a professional for financial advice when they have a big problem to solve: How much do I need to save for my children’s college? Can I afford the bigger house? Will I run out of money in retirement? The answers...
After completing your investment questionnaire, your financial advisor or brokerage might recommend that you invest a small portion of your portfolio in bonds. This investment option can be an easy way to add diversification and earn a small yet stable income at...
Big home-price gains make a 20 percent down payment ever harder. Private mortgage insurance can be a better deal than an FHA-insured mortgage. In high-cost areas, a piggyback mortgage deal can be the ticket to buying. Coming up with the...
First comes love, then comes paying for the wedding. Weddings cost an average of $35,329 nationally — excluding the honeymoon — according to The Knot’s 2016 Real Weddings Study. That’s the highest reported average cost since the survey began in 2006. But...
I’ve been offering financial advice professionally for nearly 40 years. I’m also a millionaire several times over. During my decades in the trenches, I’ve heard every conceivable piece of financial advice, acted on many and offered some of my own....
