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Categories
Monthly Archives: April 2015
Is a 529 Plan the best college savings option?
The 529 Plan has long been one of the most popular vehicles to save for your children’s (or grandchildren’s) education. For many families, it is clearly the best choice – especially for those funding it with less than a few hundred dollars a month. However, there are many little-known disadvantages of a 529 plan and these are the reasons many of my clients use a smart alternative. 529 College Savings Plans have: 1) Financial Aid: A 529 plan counts as an important asset in determining the level of … Continue reading
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Tagged 529 College Savings Plan, 529 plan, 529 Plan Alternatives
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Don’t Blindly Trust Your Target Date Funds
One of the topics of discussion during the retirement planning conference I attended last month was: Target Date Funds. In fact, it deserved a lunch presentation to the full conference. Target Date Funds have taken the retirement accumulation market by storm over the last 10 years. In many cases, they have become the 401(k) and 403(b) “default” investments inside these work-site retirement plans at work. Nearly $1 TRILLION is now invested in them through brand-name firms such as Fidelity, Vanguard, TRowe Price, American Funds and … Continue reading
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Tagged 401(k) investments, 403(b) investments, retirement investing
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Another Social Security tax trap!
At this time of year everyone is thinking about taxes! But what most people don’t understand is, if or how Social Security retirement income is taxed. But once they get their first tax returns done during retirement they find out. But they are probably also unaware of the next tax-trap that will eventually come. I lost my Mom in 2013, but the IRS allows a couple to file jointly for that years tax return. In 2014, since my Mom was no longer alive, my Dad … Continue reading
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Tagged taxation of Social Security
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1st Qtr – Stock Market Volatility
This market (and attached chart) is not exactly for the faint of heart. Although no major drops, it’s been just up and down… ending up just a hair above where 2015 started. The chart shows that in just the first 3 months of this year, we’ve had a roller coaster ride. The white line is the S&P 500 and the blue one marks the interim peaks and troughs drops and gains. Check out these 9 market moves within the year’s first 90 days: Down -2.73% Up +2.97% Down -3.37% Up +3.54% Down -3.30% Up … Continue reading
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