Posts by Rickie Houston:
As you assess your short- and long-term financial goals, it may be helpful to compare the value of your assets to that of your liabilities. That’s where net worth comes in; this value can ultimately help you determine whether you should reduce monthly spending, set up a retirement savings account or adjust your tax withholdings. The two primary types of net worth are total net worth and liquid net worth. In this guide, we define liquid net worth and show you how to calculate it. A financial professional can offer advice on investing, retirement planning, financial planning and various other areas of finance. Find a financial advisor today. Read more
Life insurance offers your family and loved ones protection against any of your financial obligations after you’ve passed away. Though there are multiple forms of life insurance, term life policies provide your beneficiaries with a death benefit if you die during the policy’s term. But these policies vary in price due to factors such as age, health, insurance company, policy size, policy length and more. If you’d like professional assistance with your insurance, consider using our free financial advisor matching tool. Below, we tell you everything you need to know about term life insurance. Read more
It’s wise to select multiple beneficiaries when purchasing life insurance policies. This ensures that your family or loved ones can cover any financial obligations after you’ve passed away. The death proceeds from life insurance policies can have multiple uses, such as paying funeral costs, paying off debt, completing mortgage payments and more. But there’s no guarantee that your primary beneficiaries will be able to claim your policy’s benefit. This is where contingent beneficiaries come in. Functioning as secondary options, these beneficiaries can use the death benefit to pay any of your remaining debts, and by receiving the benefit they keep your assets from going through probate. In this guide, we tell you everything you need to know about the role of a contingent beneficiary. A financial professional can help you protect your assets while meeting long-term savings goals. Find a financial advisor today. Read more
Set by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the federal funds rate directly controls whether banks will lend any excess reserves to meet federal requirements. This rate has a huge impact on… Read more
A living trust is an estate planning vehicle that protects your assets against taxes and probate after you die. There are multiple types of trusts, like marital, bypass, generation-skipping and more.… Read more
Wondering whether you can collect Social Security and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) at the same time? The short answer is probably not. The long answer, however, is maybe. Social… Read more
If you’ve got a pension plan, such as a 401(k) or an IRA, and you’d like to access the vehicle’s funds, you can typically choose between monthly distributions, a lump sum payment or an annuity. The… Read more
Credit card issuers can charge you additional interest for making purchases while carrying balances on your credit card. This fee is known as purchase annual percentage rate, and it varies depending… Read more
Medicare is a federal health insurance program widely used by U.S. citizens and permanent residents age 65 and older. The program also applies to those younger than age 65 who have disabilities, end… Read more
Independent contractors are professionals hired by individuals (or companies) to perform a service. Each one has different classifications under the IRS, which also means different tax obligations.… Read more
Several reasons play a role in when and why the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) might temporarily close its markets, but the primary “culprit” behind the closings are national holidays. There are 12… Read more
Just as there are several states with no income taxes, there are also multiple states forgoing sales taxes. These states don’t impose state-level sales taxes, meaning you won’t be assessed an… Read more
Social Security benefits can be garnished depending on the type of payments and debt you owe. These deductions are usually carried out for financial liabilities such as back taxes, student loans,… Read more
If you’re paying less in taxes as your taxable income increases, you’re likely following a regressive tax system. Regressive taxes offer an inverse relationship between income levels and tax rates;… Read more
Small business investment companies (SBICs) are Small Business Administration-licensed and regulated companies that provide funding to small businesses in certain sectors. These companies rely on… Read more
You’re probably adhering to a progressive tax system if you’re paying more in taxes as your taxable income increases. With progressive taxes, there’s a direct correlation between income level and tax… Read more
If you’re planning on financing a home through a mortgage, you’ll have to go through the underwriting process. The underwriting process helps mortgage lenders and loan officers review your credit and… Read more
Open enrollment represents the yearly period where employees enroll in employer-sponsored insurance and healthcare plans. During this period, employees typically have the power to select new coverage… Read more
Operating income is a value that is used to demonstrate a company’s profitability after it has deducted other costs such as cost of goods sold (COGS), employee wages and other operating expenses.… Read more
If you’re traveling for business reasons, you’ll probably incur lodging, meal and incidental expenses. This is where per diem payments come in. Your employer provides these as reimbursement for such… Read more
If you meet a lender’s credit and income requirements, you’ll normally have free rein to take out loans on your own. But in circumstances where your credit levels aren’t high enough, or if you have… Read more
Any child support payments you’ve received won’t be counted as taxable income. And if you’re the one making the child support payments, the income you used to do so won’t be tax deductible. But there… Read more
Several insurance companies have created relief programs to support their car insurance customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of these insurers are providing premium refunds, pausing policy… Read more
Like most states, South Dakota has taken multiple steps to recover its economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state currently has more than 2,200 cases with 11 deaths, according to the South… Read more
As Delaware’s coronavirus cases approaches 3,000, the state has introduced many measures to keep its residents safe and to protect any individuals or small businesses adversely impacted by the… Read more
