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Retirement Investors Get Another Boost from Washington
Amid the 1,650-page, $1.7 trillion omnibus spending legislation passed by Congress last week and expected to be signed by President Biden were several provisions affecting work-sponsored retirement plans and, to a lesser degree, IRAs....
Read MoreTax Planning for Business Owners
What is business tax planning?When starting a business, you must consider a number of tax-related issues. Although business tax planning is a complicated area, it is essential to understand three major topics: tax consequences when the...
Read MoreWealth Due to Inheritance
What is it?IntroductionIf you're the beneficiary of a large inheritance, you may find yourself suddenly wealthy. Even if you expected the inheritance, you may be surprised by the size of the bequest or the diverse assets you've...
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New Year, New Goals: Your Countdown to Financial Health
New Year, New Goals: Your Countdown to Financial Health. For many people, a new year provides a new start—and nothing says "new start" like a fresh new set of financial goals. But setting these goals is easier said than done.
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A Look at Tax Planning for Retirement
After years of saving and planning for their golden years, many people nearing retirement fail to consider the tax burden they may face on income they receive after they stop working.
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Your Financial Fresh Start: 12 Resolutions in 12 Months
Change may be difficult, especially when you try to change your financial habits. The process might be easier if you take an incremental approach. Do you want to get on top of your finances this year?
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Tax Prep Checklist: Everything You Need to Be Ready for Tax Season
Regardless of whether you prepare your taxes yourself or use a professional's services, it's a good idea to gather the information and documentation you need well in advance of your actual tax filing date.
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Year-End Tax Planning Basics
The window of opportunity for many tax-saving moves closes on December 31, so it's important to evaluate your tax situation now, while there's still time to affect your bottom line for the 2022 tax year.Timing is everythingConsider any...
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The 12 Days of Year-End Planning: Things to Consider Going into “The New Year"
At the end of the year, it is necessary to reflect on your financial picture, review the last 12 months, and plan for the future. With all that is involved, it can seem overwhelming. Consider breaking up the responsibilities over...
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What’s the charitable deduction? An economist explains
The charitable deduction is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in taxable income that lowers what someone owes the Internal Revenue Service. Only donations to tax-exempt charities count.This giving incentive is available only for the 10% of...
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Countdown To Investing in the New Year: 10 Questions To Ask Yourself
If one of your New Year's resolutions involves enhancing and expanding your investment portfolio, look no further. In a true New Year's Eve countdown tradition, ask yourself these 10 questions to help review your investment plans...
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Enduring Market Volatility With a Financial Plan
If you hope to retire soon and are concerned about what the future may hold for your investments, you are not alone. Inflation has many retirees and soon-to-be retirees worried about outliving their savings and investments.1What might...
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5 Year-End Tax Planning Questions to Ask Your Financial Professional
The average U.S. income tax rate stands at just over 13%—and if you're like many taxpayers, you're always looking for new tips and tricks to help reduce this percentage.1There are a number of different tax planning moves you can...
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A Brief Overview of Philanthropic Vehicles
As you grow your wealth, you may find the desire to give back to others and support causes and organizations you believe in through philanthropic giving. Philanthropy often casts a broader net of giving over charity as it helps society...
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Invest In These 4 Common Sense Investing Rules
From fluctuating gas prices to market volatility to inflation fears, it may be tough to tune out the noise when trying to gauge how your investments perform. And if you are like most investors, you try to resist the temptation to do...
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Invest In These 4 Common Sense Investing Rules
From fluctuating gas prices to market volatility to inflation fears, it may be tough to tune out the noise when trying to gauge how your investments perform. And if you are like most investors, you try to resist the...
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10 Easy Financial Planning Steps for Beginners
If you've never engaged in financial planning and are unsure how to get started, this article is for you. A financial plan starts by evaluating your current financial situation and future expectations and can be created independently...
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Inflation Reduction Act: What You Should Know
The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law on August 16, 2022, includes health-care and energy-related provisions, a new corporate alternative minimum tax, and an excise tax on certain corporate stock buybacks. Additional funding is...
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A Quick Guide to Estate Planning for Those With High Net Worth
Even if you never thought of yourself as especially wealthy, there may be a fair chance that you fall into the category of "high net worth individuals"—those who have liquid assets of $1 million or more.1 For many individuals who...
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Making the Most of Your Relationship with a Financial Professional
Heading to your first meeting with a new financial professional may be a lot like going on a blind date. Can you have anything in common? Can you click? Can you trust this other person with what's most important to you? A strong...
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3 Golf Tips to Keep Your Retirement Plan on Course
In golf, as in finances, there are a few rules of thumb that may improve your game: keep a level head, avoid traps, practice before trying something new and stay the course. Applying lessons from the golf course to your financial life...
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Market and Investment Evaluation Methods
Doing your homeworkBefore investing in publicly traded securities, it would be wise to do some research--at least enough to understand just what you're investing in. An educated investment decision involves some knowledge of the stock...
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Five Keys to Investing for Retirement
Because inflation could reduce your purchasing power over time, you'll probably need to contribute more to your retirement plan than you think. What seems like a healthy amount now is likely to feel smaller and smaller over time.Making...
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Making the Most of Your Relationship with a Financial Professional
Heading to your first meeting with a new financial professional may be a lot like going on a blind date. Can you have anything in common? Can you click? Can you trust this other person with what's most important to you? A strong...
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Financial Planning Challenges and Strategies for the Sandwich Generation
Almost half of all adults are part of the "sandwich generation." These are adults in their 40s and 50s who are helping support or care for a parent while also supporting or caring for a child.1 Being caught between two generations of...
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Are You An All-Star Investor? 3 Major League Investing Mistakes to Avoid
Though baseball and stock market investing may not seem to have much in common, there are a few key similarities—both are stats-driven and require focus, a relative lack of emotion, and a clear mind. And when it comes to...
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The Great Wealth Transfer: Is Your Family Prepared?
Over the next twenty years, a wealth transfer will occur that exceeds $30 trillion as the Baby Boomer generation passes the remainder of their wealth to the Millennials and subsequent generations. The Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) are...
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Financial Planning for Real Estate Investors
If you’re a real estate investor, developer, or landlord, understand that your financial planning needs are unique. Generally, you must be strategic how you run your business and manage your money. If you are a real estate...
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3 Moments in Life Where You Should Consider Consulting a Financial Professional
If you've ever wondered why so many lottery winners (an estimated 70 percent) seem to blow through all their winnings so quickly, the answer often lies in two key traits: overconfidence and trusting the wrong people.1 The same holds...
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7 Retirement Considerations
When helping people get ready for retirement, financial professionals find the same issues come up over and over. Thinking ahead can spell the difference between a retirement with enough money and a stressful one with difficult...
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Considering an Annuity for Your 401(k) Rollover?
With companies downsizing to stay in business and corporate takeovers occurring almost every other day, the only thing certain in anyone’s career these days is change. Take Chris Brown, age 48, for example. After 15 years as a...
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Five Common Financial Questions: What is the Most Suitable Answer?
At every stage of life, you may have financial questions that you don’t know the answers to. But not every question has a definite right or wrong answer because the correct answer depends on your unique situation. Here's a look...
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Hoping that 2022 is When You Retire Early?
As we make our way through 2022, maybe the dream of early retirement has begun to take shape in your mind. Maybe you’re researching when you might first qualify for Social Security retirement benefits (hint: for Social Security...
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Five Money Moves to Make With Your Tax Refund
If you have a refund check coming your way, consider using it to bolster your personal balance sheet. According to the IRS, the average refund will be about $3,300, and many receive the money within three weeks of filing their returns...
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