Like most people, I don’t want to pay more taxes than necessary. That common-sense approach to money began when I got my first job at the age of 13. I was paid $1.50/hour, slightly above the $1.30 minimum wage. I calculated exactly how much my first paycheck would be....
It’s not uncommon to see the flashing lights and hear the blaring siren of an ambulance rushing to someone’s aid or transporting them to the hospital for emergency treatment. And no matter whether the ambulance is operated by a private company or a government entity, they are an important...
Hear that sucking sound. It’s the rush of dollars coming out of the Social Security trust fund; you know, the fund set up to help retirees, the fund that’s been in trouble for years, the one the federal government has kicked down the road for decades. Yep, that one....
Finances, just like your body, can be sick or healthy. Both are important to your life and you need to pay attention to both. So, how do you take the temperature of your finances? Here are 11 steps to complete your own financial checkup from our friends at The...
You plan for it, you dream about it, you look forward to it. But are you ready for it? Will you have the kind of retirement you’ve always wanted, or are there still some nagging questions? The 2021 Retirement Readiness Survey from the Insured Retirement Institute found that one-third...
Healthcare during the senior years, especially the topic of long-term care, has been talked about and analyzed ad nauseam. And from all the research, one thing is clear. If you need long-term care, it will be expensive in both dollars and emotions.   Here are a few of the most recent...
The end of the year is a financial opportunity—an opportunity to take advantage of remaining tax breaks and keep Uncle Sam’s hand from going deeper into your pocket than it has to, and an opportunity to clean up your portfolio and make sure your financial house is in order....
There was dancing in the streets when Social Security announced that 2022 checks will go up by 5.9%, the biggest Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in 40 years. But now, the streets are empty and the cheering is gone. Most of that Social Security COLA will be eaten up...
When do you want to retire? For a lot of Americans, the answer is just as soon as possible. And it’s no wonder. Only 20% of U.S. workers are passionate about their jobs. 55% don’t like what they do. It’s a means to an end. They just want to...
Over the years, I’ve been given a couple of simple but profound pieces of financial advice. A man I looked up to told me that tax loopholes are illegal, but if something is in the IRS code it’s there to be used and if it applies to me… use...