http://commonfinancialadvice.com Good Advice helps you make Better Decisions Wed, 16 May 2012 16:38:30 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/05/paying-for-college/ http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/05/paying-for-college/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 15:00:30 +0000 John Buerger http://commonfinancialadvice.com/?p=1155 By: John D. Buerger, CFP® 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 [...]]]> http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/05/paying-for-college/feed/ 0 http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/05/todays-headline-shark-attacks-investor/ http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/05/todays-headline-shark-attacks-investor/#comments Wed, 09 May 2012 18:00:45 +0000 Mike Wilson http://commonfinancialadvice.com/?p=1130 By: Michael Wilson, CFP® 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. [...]]]> http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/05/todays-headline-shark-attacks-investor/feed/ 0 http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/05/need-an-extra-4-5-boost-for-your-savings-dont-just-do-something-sit-there/ http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/05/need-an-extra-4-5-boost-for-your-savings-dont-just-do-something-sit-there/#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 15:00:04 +0000 Mike Wilson http://commonfinancialadvice.com/?p=1126 By: Michael Wilson, CFP® 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 [...]]]> http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/05/need-an-extra-4-5-boost-for-your-savings-dont-just-do-something-sit-there/feed/ 0 http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/05/1121/ http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/05/1121/#comments Tue, 01 May 2012 15:00:30 +0000 Rick Kahler http://commonfinancialadvice.com/?p=1121 By: Rick Kahler, CFP® 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. [...]]]> http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/05/1121/feed/ 0 http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/i-got-a-notice-from-the-irs-help/ http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/i-got-a-notice-from-the-irs-help/#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:00:10 +0000 Sara Norris http://commonfinancialadvice.com/?p=1115 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 [...]]]> http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/i-got-a-notice-from-the-irs-help/feed/ 0 http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/money-rules/ http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/money-rules/#comments Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:00:34 +0000 John Buerger http://commonfinancialadvice.com/?p=1106 By: John D. Buerger, CFP® 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 [...]]]> http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/money-rules/feed/ 0 http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/top-10-things-my-new-client-has-learned-about-financial-planning/ http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/top-10-things-my-new-client-has-learned-about-financial-planning/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:00:21 +0000 Heidi Davis http://commonfinancialadvice.com/?p=1090 By: Heidi Davis, CFP® 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 [...]]]> http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/top-10-things-my-new-client-has-learned-about-financial-planning/feed/ 0 http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/keep-student-debt-in-mind-when-selecting-college/ http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/keep-student-debt-in-mind-when-selecting-college/#comments Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:00:15 +0000 Kevin Worthley http://commonfinancialadvice.com/?p=1084 By: Kevin Worthley, CFP® 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, [...]]]> http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/keep-student-debt-in-mind-when-selecting-college/feed/ 1 http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/your-home-is-your-castle-and-maybe-your-piggy-bank-too/ http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/your-home-is-your-castle-and-maybe-your-piggy-bank-too/#comments Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:00:30 +0000 Mike Wilson http://commonfinancialadvice.com/?p=1048 By: Michael Wilson, CFP® 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 [...]]]> http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/your-home-is-your-castle-and-maybe-your-piggy-bank-too/feed/ 0 http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/i-owe-taxes-what-now/ http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/i-owe-taxes-what-now/#comments Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:00:17 +0000 Sara Norris http://commonfinancialadvice.com/?p=1054 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 [...]]]> http://commonfinancialadvice.com/2012/04/i-owe-taxes-what-now/feed/ 0