Recently I listened to an interview with Fred Smith, the highly respected founder and executive chairman of FedEx Corporation. He shared how over the next months or years policy changes need to be made when it comes to government spending and debt. Federal spending has risen dramatically to where almost $2 trillion was borrowed last […]
On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, containing a section known as SECURE 2.0, became law. It builds on the SECURE Act passed in 2019, revising existing rules around retirement saving. The legislation included considerable changes to improve the use of both ABLE and 529 accounts as well as paying off student […]
For the past 20 or more years, Cathy and I have been rising early twice a week to join a 6:30 a.m. aerobics class. The participants have become like family over the years — to where we must know your date of birth before you can join. This is because the fellowship of gathering to […]
When it comes to college savings most people have heard about 529 plans, savings bonds, and custodial accounts. However, there is another player in the game that many overlook that provides a dual-purpose investment option. Custodial Roth accounts, known for their post-tax investment growth for retirement, can also have a place in the college savings […]
The Labor Department announced earlier this month that the consumer-price index increased 8.6% in May from the same month a year ago, marking its fastest pace since December 1981. This was above analyst expectations of 8.3% and sent U.S. stocks down as consumer sentiment dropped along with them. With ongoing inflation and a lagging stock market, you […]
Have you ever wondered what it might be like to have dementia? Or maybe you have a family member who has been diagnosed with dementia and you are having a hard time understanding why your loved one behaves in certain ways? I was recently invited to a “Dementia Virtual Tour” at a local Senior Living […]
It has been said that it takes 21 days for a habit to be formed. For example, going to the gym for 21 consecutive days results in you not thinking twice about going to work out. Or taking a three-week break from dessert after dinner each night will result in you saying, “No, thank you” […]
When I began my career about 35 years ago, a contractor friend of mine gave me some very good advice that I instituted early on in my office, and it was this: If you want to develop trust, start by being trustworthy in the small things. He used the example of the use of postage […]
When we hear the word “retirement” we almost synonymously think 401(k). But what if you don’t have a 401(k)? Can you still invest and plan for retirement?? While a 401(k) is largely the most popular and most well known of retirement plans, it is not by any means the “end all be all” of retirement […]
For most people, when they enter the workforce, they begin putting away a percentage of their salary toward retirement which is a part of their financial planning. Some stay disciplined early by putting away a solid 15 – 20% of their income. Most others start anywhere from 1 – 5% and apply an automatic escalation […]