Do Married Couples Need to Buy Life Insurance?
September 7, 2008
Death. No one wants to think about, especially a newly married couple. However, thinking about the worse case scenario is an essential trait for maintaining a sound financial plan. There’s no scenario worse than the death of you or your spouse, and that is why you need to prepare for it.
When Should […]
A Socially Responsible Reply to Avoiding Social Security
November 16, 2007
A reader sent the following response to yesterday’s post on avoiding Social Security payments. I asked them for permission to share it because the email reminded me that Social Security is a safety net for many people and asks some interesting questions about keeping the Social Security program viable:
Reader Response:
Why would your wife forfeit her Social Security […]
How to Avoid Paying Into Social Security
November 15, 2007
What? Is that possible, to avoid Social Security payments? Well, like most things in personal finance the answer is that it depends.
My wife didn’t pay one cent into Social Security for the last seven years of working, better yet, it was all legal and above board. As a state employee, she still contributed to a mandatory state […]
Retirement: It’s Like Being 18 Only With Money
September 5, 2007
Would that headline catch your eye on a piece of mail? It’s a pleasant thought to be 18, footloose and fancy free again. No big projects at work, no mortgage to worry about, and no sense of responsibility keeping you awake at night. Plus to top it off you’re not even broke!
Back to RealityAs I […]
Retirement Advice from Corporate Executives
August 30, 2007
If a wealthy retired corporate executive gave you retirement advice would be thankful or feel like they were rubbing your nose it in?
Executive PrivilegeOur most recent company newsletter featured several former corporate executives that have retired from the business to pursue their life’s ambitions. I had mixed feelings as I read the article in my […]
Show Them You Care With a Spousal IRA Contribution
August 10, 2007
Let’s be honest. Sometimes a “non-working” spouse actually works harder with their duties at home than the working half does on the job. What’s the best way to show them your appreciation, how about by contributing to a spousal IRA!
Keeping Up IRA ContributionsOkay, this move probably won’t win you the spouse of the week award […]
When is it Time to Reduce Retirement Plan Contributions?
July 30, 2007
How do you know how much to contribute to your retirment plan? Of course the more you put into your 401k, 403b, or IRA now the more you should have later in life when it is time to retire; but can you invest too much?
Investing DecisionsI’ve always taken the approach of putting in as much […]
Are Employers Doing Enough to Promote Retirement Plans?
July 3, 2007
Does your employer encourage you to participate in a retirement plan? It took my wife’s employer 6 years to actively promote their retirement plan.
A Tale of Two Retirement PlansToday’s young workers won’t be able to rely on company pensions or Social Security when they’re old and gray so starting to invest right away in a […]
Vanguard Target Retirement Funds
June 8, 2007
The Semi-Annual Report for Vanguard’s target retirement funds 2030 – 2050 came in the mail today. Our retirement funds aren’t in target accounts but we have some money for our son in the 2030 Fund for when he’s all grown up and ready to take on the world.
I flipped over to the 2045 Retirement […]
Personal Finance Decision Guide - Roth IRA vs. Traditional IRA
June 4, 2007
What money decision are you trying to make today? Read on, it may be covered in this second edition of the Personal Finance Decision Guide. This is a compilation of money articles from various sites comparing or explaining two sides of money concepts.
In an interesting turn of events, this is the first time […]
