
Why Talk to a Financial Planner When You’re in Your 20s
It may seem like a challenge — you’re in your first job, you’re paying your own living expenses for the first time and, like many college...
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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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Applying for Financial Aid - A Quick FAFSA Primer
Financial aid is a broad term that covers financial help through the college your child attends. Financial aid includes merit and needs-based...
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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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A Guide to Employee Benefits for the Recent College Graduate
If you are a young person who has recently graduated from college and are entering the professional workforce, you have your whole life ahead...
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Save with a Sound Financial Plan
Last Updated: February 17, 2012 Any recent efforts you've made to scrimp, save and pay off debt should become a permanent part of your...
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Insiders Guide to Finding a Financial Planner
“Hi, I think I’m interested in a financial planning but I’m not sure of the scope of a financial planner. My priorities are reducing my...
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Money Resolutions
We are getting toward that time of the year again where we start to reflect on the events of the past year and look forward to the...
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Forward Thinking
A few years ago I helped conduct a focus group. One of the conclusions was that those focus group members who had a longer term perspective...
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What is This New Schedule D Form 8949?
You have all your tax documents in front of you and they look much the same as in prior years except for the report from your broker on those...
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Dont Let Taxes Control Investment Decisions
Taxes can eat away a significant portion of an investment's return. Yet at the same time, financial planners caution against allowing the "tax...
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Get Off the Roller Coaster
The past 12 months perfectly captured the proverbial roller coaster of the stock market. It went up and down, it zigged and it zagged, and it...
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RMD Time: Handling Retirement Account Distributions
Anyone who owns a tax-advantaged retirement account such as a 401(k) or individual retirement account (IRA) — that’s 63% of (or 77.5 million)...
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College for Working Adults Financing the Dream
About 40 percent of American college students are 25 years of age or older, indicating it is never too late to seek a college degree. In order...
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If a Friend Needs Financial Help Do It the Right Way
There may indeed be someone close to you who needs financial help. It could be a tough decision. Perhaps that person has been hit by a perfect...
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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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The Real Cost of Paper US Savings Bonds
Do you have a stack of U.S. Savings Bonds stashed under your mattress or in a safe deposit box that you’ve been collecting since childhood? You...
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Estate Planning for the Middle Class-Part II
Part II: Basic Documents: the WillAlthough there are many complex estate planning strategies, it is often the simplest items that are...
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My Divorce is Finalized. Now What?
Many people mistakenly believe that once their divorce is finalized, their days of filling out paperwork and forms are over. The truth is you...
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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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What You Need to Know About Flood Insurance
I live in an area that was hit hard by Hurricane Irene. Although I lost power for a few days, that was nothing compared to the devastation...
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Financial Planning for New Parents
Dramatic changes in one's life often require a reassessment of one's personal finances. And few events have a more profound impact on one's...
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7 Signs It’s Time to Retire
Deciding when to retire is not always easy. Many people simply base the decision on their birthday, but there are a whole host of other factors...
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How to Throw a Fabulous Holiday Party on a Budget
I love to entertain, especially during the holidays while my Christmas tree is up and the house is warm and inviting. However, hosting parties...
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Financial Planning for Americans Overseas
Globalization has not only moved many American jobs overseas but Americans, too. There can be real benefits to an overseas posting such as...
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Setting SMART Goals
How often in life have you been able to accomplish something without first defining what it is that you’re attempting to do? For example, have...
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What Common QDRO Mistakes Should You Avoid in Your Divorce
How can you and your soon-to-be-former spouse split your individual qualified retirement savings, frequently the largest asset you may each own...
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Planning for Retirement in Today’s World
Twenty and thirty years ago, the picture of retirement most people had in mind was one where there was a finality to your job, you’d move to...
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