College Math: 12 Tactics to Get the Most Financial Aid
The good news for college-bound students and their families is that increases in education costs are slowing, according to the College Board....
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Navigating the Social Security Waters
The Social Security Act was passed in 1935 and the retirement benefits program was enacted in 1937. The program was and still is designed to...
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How the Fed Sets Interest Rates
The role of the US Federal Reserve, referred to most as “the Fed,” and how it determines interest rates remains a mystery for many people. One...
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Retire Your Debt
It’s almost impossible to open a newspaper these days without reading about your retirement “number.” That is, the amount of money you need to...
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Plan for a Sudden Serious Illness or Death in the Family
A sudden death or serious illness in the family can knock spouses and other family members for a loop. If the primarybreadwinner dies, what...
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Prioritizing Retirement Decisions
Retirement can be daunting to figure out, because the implications of your choices tend to get magnified. A market drop or negative health...
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Overcoming Fear to Find Bargains
Behavioral finance is a relatively new field of study that blends economics with psychology by studying the decision making process. It is...
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Investing For College — Investment Choices
The challenge today is that there are so many options for saving, and one size does not fit all. Some of the vehicles to implement your college...
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Should I Replace My Annuity
When an insurance agent or broker recommends an annuity replacement, it may actually be a good idea for you and your family — or it may just be...
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Your Credit Score: Knowing Whats Behind the Number
Your credit score is one of the most important numbers in life. It ranks right up there with your Social Security number – except this one can...
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What if College Isn't the Answer?
A 529 plan is a savings plan that allows individuals to save for a beneficiary’s college expenses. Invested funds grow tax free and, provided...
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Wow, My Tax Return is Due April 17!
“I can’t believe I am a week away from when my tax return needs to be filed”. I am sure that there will be a few people who are reading this...
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October Means Open Enrollment
Put on the coffee and roll up your sleeves! Deciding on employer benefit choices can be a daunting task, especially when the plans change from...
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Should You Buy Long-term Care Insurance
For many people in retirement, their greatest fear is ending up in a nursing home. Being able to live independently or, barring that, getting...
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Surviving the Grocery Store Maze
For many people, the grocery bill is one of the largest flexible budget items. Everyone needs food and water to survive, but after meeting this...
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Financial Planning for Relocation During Divorce
What steps can you take during the emotionally-draining and uncertain divorce process to financially plan for relocation? In concert with...
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Funding Considerations for those Starting a Small Business
The bankers are saying “We’re lending!” but the small business owners are saying “No, they aren’t.” There clearly is a disconnection. Here are...
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Be Smart about Renovations in a Down Home Market
It's unlikely the real estate market will return to the fever pitch of the mid-2000s anytime soon – and maybe that's not such a bad thing. But...
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The Home Stretch - Your 50s and 60s
Try to boost your retirement savings goal up to 20 percent or more of your income. Workers age 50 and over can invest extra dollars into their...
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Is Your 401(k) the Best Place to Invest
You’ve been contributing diligently to your 401(k), paying down debt, and are starting to wonder if there is something else you could be doing...
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Protecting Your Most Important Asset
What is your most important asset? When asked this question, most people respond with their house, their 401(k), or the inheritance they hope...
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The Phases of Retirement
For many, the phrase “retirement planning” has become limited to the planning done in the years leading up to retirement. When you consider...
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Debt the Double-Edged Sword
The debt amount a person or entity owes to a creditor for funds borrowed is a four letter word capable of conjuring cold sweats in many...
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Don’t Forget to Audit Your Beneficiary Designations
In an ever increasing complex world, one aspect of your financial lives that is not always correct is the beneficiary of your retirement...
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Confidence in Retirement 10 Planning Mistakes to Avoid
As more Baby Boomers approach their Golden Years they are faced with a plethora of challenges. Especially for those with greater resources, the...
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Investment Abuse Part 2 How to Take Action if Youre a Victim
Last month we looked at several common investment abuses, such as misrepresentation, unsuitable recommendations, and excessive trading. Now we...
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Indebted Now What
It is hard to read a newspaper, listen to the radio, or watch TV these days without hearing about the level of government (state and federal)...
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Estate Planning for the Middle Class-Part I
Part I: What is it? Why do I need it?Everyone has an estate, regardless of size: it is just the total of your assets and liabilit...
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Leaving a Legacy An Everyman’s Guide to Estate Planning
It is believed that estate planning and deciding how your valued assets will be handled after you die is only for wealthy people with a large...
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Losing Your Inheritance to Uncle Sam - or Others
Successful estate planning takes not one generation, but two. The first generation needs to make a clear, sensible plan and the second needs to...
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