College is expensive.
According to a former Secretary of Education, William Bennett, college costs have quadrupled the past 25 years. With many college grads unable to find good work today, the tough questions about college are piling up:
— Is a College Education still worth the cost?
— Are College Costs the next bubble?
— How do to get the best value for your college tuition dollar?
Call it the “Jaws” phenomenon. A shark attacks some beach-front swimmer somewhere in the world. The news media picks up the story, and for a few days (at most) we all learn about shark attacks as various experts describe why sharks do what they do, how to avoid shark attacks, etc. And for maybe the next week or so, ocean swimmers everywhere think twice before getting into the water. Some swimmers even avoid the water altogether. Is that rational behavior?
Stock investors and bond investors alike leave a lot of money on the table. That’s the conclusion from another annual study by Dalbar, a Boston-based research firm. This year’s numbers confirm a long-running trend: sitting tight is a profitable strategy for long-term investors.
For the 20-year period ending in 2011, the average equity/stock mutual fund investor earned about a 3.5% annual return. The Continue reading
Since the death of singer Whitney Houston, I’ve seen several articles from attorneys and financial advisors pointing out three areas where her estate planning was badly flawed:
1. Lack of privacy. Anyone with thumbs and Internet access can see Ms. Houston’s will. A living trust would have kept her affairs private.
By: Sara Norris, EA
Before you decide to bolt in panic or burn the letter, hoping it will go away, take a deep breath. The IRS occasionally makes mistakes, and ignoring a communication from the IRS does not make it go away. In fact, it can make a simple situation much worse. Have you received a letter and want help in resolving it? Click here. Continue reading
There are many aspects of personal finance that are up for debate – active vs. passive investing, wants vs. needs and others – but there are a few cardinal “money rules” that cannot be broken. Ignore these rules at your own peril – which is unfortunately what most of your friends and neighbors are doing. Play by these rules and your life will be happier, no matter how much income you make. Continue reading
I love those “aha moments” when my clients fill in the gaps in their knowledge, and I decided it would be fun to share some of them.
A divorced professional woman recently met with me. Like many people who seek my services, she knew she needed help managing her money. But what exactly is “money management”? Often, that concept is as squishy as children’s play clay. As we walked through the process, however, the concept became more concrete, and I saw the light bulb come on. So, I asked my client, “What have you learned about financial planning?” Here’s her Top 10 list: Continue reading
Over the next two weeks, college-bound high school seniors and their parents will be making the all-important decision about where the student will attend college this fall. After months of discussions, campus visits, talks with guidance counselors, filling out forms, applications, “Decision-day” is here. Most colleges require a commitment, either way, by May 1st. Continue reading
A recent report from the Society of Actuaries called “Segmenting the Middle Market: Retirement Risks and Solutions” confirms what many studies and surveys of American workers already indicate, with a twist. A person’s home may no longer just be a castle; it may become their pension too. The report indicates that for most middle class Americans, Social Security is the premier source of retirement income. But that income alone won’t be enough to pay for years of retirement living expenses, so middle income households need either additional pension income or earned income (i.e., part-time work for wages in retirement) to make ends meet. Continue reading
By: Sara Norris, EA
If you find yourself one of those who will owe Uncle Sam this year, you are not alone. According to the rules, you are supposed to be paying in as you go in the form of estimated taxes, but maybe you had a dramatic decrease in income in 2011, due to the economic downturn. Or, maybe you had a happy unexpected windfall you didn’t realize would be taxable. Whatever happened, you owe the IRS a tax bill that is due in two weeks. What are your options now? Continue reading
By: 
Ron Peremel
Kevin Condon
