For years it was assumed that tax planning was reserved for the wealthy. While wealthy individuals will see the most benefit from tax planning, with big changes looming for the 2018 tax year, even middle-income earners can reap the benefits of tax planning.
Basic tax planning starts with your AGI...
Congratulations! Your new union symbolizes a new beginning facing the world. But before the glow of wedded bliss wears, it’s crucial to talk about finances. Let’s be honest, financial talks should be had well before the ring, but did you know that “68 percent of engaged couples surveyed held a...
These days, only on television is landing your dream job after graduation a thing that could actually happen. The reality is, in a recent survey of 503 - recent grads - entry-level job seekers by national career matchmaking firm GradStaf, “nearly 70 percent of respondents were either unemployed or...
In the wake of hurricanes Harvey and Irma, two of the worst storms to make landfall in the U.S., the fate of thousands of homeowners is still up in the air. So, it may seem a bit trivial to point out that the storms also destroyed thousands of luxury and classic cars. While the dollar amount of...
Summer is here. The sun is out, it’s warm, the days are longer, and your worries seem just a little bit further away. But sometimes storms roll in on the sunniest of days. And the world is a bit of a scary place at the moment, the future is perhaps not as certain as it once was. So instead of...
The recent economic environment has caused most people to reconsider their personal finances with many having to drastically change their spending and savings habits. Out of this economic malaise may come an opportunity to finally instill the right habits in your teens that can carry them into...
There is no getting around it—health insurance is complex and complicated. You have to have it and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. And, when your child is living with a special need it makes the whole process even more complicated. Finding in-network specialists, scheduling exams, and...
An increasing number of people are starting to understand that their real risk exposure is not in the costs associated with repairing or replacing their car or home, rather it is in the far more costly liability risk. Yet, most people drastically underestimate their personal liability risks. In...
With rates as low and competitive as they have ever been, it’s as close to a “buyers” market in life insurance as you’ll see. Still, in these cash-strapped times, curbing all costs and expenses is a priority for most people, and buying life insurance is no different. While the cost of life...
Until recently, many retirees have been able to rely upon the three-legged stool of retirement income sources: A defined benefit pension plan that guarantees a lifetime income, their own savings, and Social Security. Within the last couple of decades, the first leg of the stool has all but...
In the story of Alice in Wonderland, Alice arrives at a fork in the road and wonders aloud which road to take. A smiling Cheshire Cat appears and asks her what her destination is, to which she replies, “I don’t know.” The toothy cat then proffers the only possible response, “Well, then it doesn’t...
It’s something most people don’t think about until it hits the headlines, such as when major retailer, Target, revealed that its data base of shopper credit and debit card numbers had been breached. Yet, nearly 15 percent of the population - more than 34 million adults - has reported some form of...