A 2005 study from the Vanguard Center for Retirement Research noted that while the overwhelming majority of age-50-and-older participants in company-sponsored retirement plans are eligible to make catch-up contributions to their accounts, they don't … [Continue reading]
Retirement Planning: Making Up for a Late Start
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Poor planning, late starts, financial emergencies along the way-people have many reasons for failing to plan well for retirement. So how can a planner help you catch up? Marc Freedman Marc Freedman, a finance professional based in Peabody, … [Continue reading]
Health Insurance
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A generation ago, nobody talked much about having to buy their own health insurance. Employers found it easier-and more affordable-to supply coverage to their workers. Self-employment was not as popular as it is today, so the demand for independent … [Continue reading]
Auto Insurance
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After taxes and the addition of the most basic of options, today's entry-level new automobile can easily cost more than $20,000. If you're involved in an accident, you're facing thousands of dollars-sometimes tens or hundreds of thousands of … [Continue reading]
Tax Planning For The New Business Owner
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Consider carefully your choice of business entity, and refer to that discussion to be sure you've made an informed choice. The taxes you pay As someone who owns a business or as an employer-you essentially act as your own employer even if … [Continue reading]
As Individuals Take On More Risk, Insurance is a Critical Investment
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"Risk management is the foundation of the financial plan;' explains Jim Barnash, a financial planner based in Chicago. "And it takes many forms besides insurance." Jim Barnash A financial planner can take an individual or couple through their … [Continue reading]
Real Estate As An Investment
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The Difference Between Investment and Ownership The first thing you need to know about real estate investment is that it has nothing to do with home ownership. Your residence may represent a healthy portion of your personal wealth thanks to the … [Continue reading]
Home Financing: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
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Borrowing more money than you've ever seen in your life is definitely a memorable experience. There are smart ways to get there and dumb ways too. Figuring Out How Much Home You Can Afford When people think about buying a home for the first … [Continue reading]
Buying Your First Home
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Whether you're in your twenties or much older, buying your first home is possibly the biggest single financial decision of your life. Yet home ownership is not for everyone. You not only need to understand the money side of the transaction, but your … [Continue reading]
Home Insurance
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Horrible disasters not only wipe out property, but lives. Particularly at times when so many homeowners are significantly leveraged with mortgage and credit card debt, the amount and quality of home insurance can make the difference between normalcy … [Continue reading]
Financial Planning for Divorce
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At best, divorce is a time of distraction in one's life, when emotional and family concerns take center stage and financial issues often take a back seat. Yet divorce is one of the biggest triggers of bankruptcy in a world where bankruptcy has gotten … [Continue reading]
Teaching Kids About Money
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That means that parents have to give their children the bulk of their money education, which is not always easy if the parents are fighting financial demons of their own. Parents might do well to bring up the issue of their kids' money education with … [Continue reading]
