To say there were some ticked off folks after-tax returns were filed for 2018 is an understatement. Border-to-border and coast-to-coast people who normally don’t have to send the IRS additional money were first shocked, and then angry that the government was demanding more. People who got a smaller-than-usual refund...
How do you know if your financial adviser is acting in your best interest? It’s ashamed that the question even has to be asked—but it does. Are you truly working with a financial adviser, or are you dealing with a financial salesman? In its simplest form, a financial adviser is someone who places your...
Your identity is priceless. That’s why so many people are hacking, breaching, phishing, and trying to steal your information. The last thing you want is to wake up and find your bank accounts empty, your credit cards maxed out, and/or the police knocking on your door. A highly recommended strategy...
IRA rollovers are as common as drinking water. But if your rollover isn’t done correctly, it can cost you taxes and penalties, sucking out money that could have been used for your retirement. In this article from MarketWatch, you’ll discover 4 of the most expensive IRA rollover tax traps and how to avoid falling...
Just the thought of retirement is fraught with what-ifs. What if I live 30 or 40 years after I retire? What if I run out of money? What if I need long term care? But the retirement issue almost no one talks about is Senior depression. It’s usually underdiagnosed, seldom recognized, and almost never planned...
There’s a common misconception that Medicare is a simple, automatic process when you turn 65. Nothing could be further from the truth. The responsibility to enroll is on your shoulders, and if you miss deadlines or don’t enroll in just the right way, you can incur penalties that will consume chunks...
I’ve been telling you for a while that some people who bill themselves as financial advisors are really financial salespeople, which begs the question, “Are they really acting in your best interest?” Apparently, the federal government now agrees with me. It’s become popular for brokers to market themselves as financial advisors. They tell you they can...
Knowing the various Social Security benefits available to you and the best time to claim those benefits can be a challenge. It requires research on your part, because many people are getting incorrect information from Social Security representatives, as noted in an audit by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. But how does...