Rosemary Carlson

If you were born after 1960, your full retirement age (FRA) is 67, according to the Social Security Administration. When we think about retirement, most of us imagine retiring at our FRA, even though we may dream about retiring earlier.… read more…

Private sector employers that once offered workers traditional pensions, typically defined benefit plans, have been encouraging people to roll over their pensions into tax-advantaged plans like individual retirement accounts (IRA) and 401(k)s. If you’re considering such a move, it’s important… read more…

FBO is an abbreviation for the common term “for the benefit of” and it is often used in estate planning. In a trust, the term conveys ownership and value to the trustee. The FBO legal language is there to protect… read more…

If you would like to invest in a financial asset with low operating costs, exposure to the broad market or a market sector and lower taxes, an index fund might be for you. You will find that you can use… read more…

Probate is the process of proving a will and settling an estate after an individual (decedent) dies. The cost of probate depends on several factors. One of the most significant is the state in which the decedent lived. The cost… read more…

A stock that is expected to outperform other stocks in its market sector gets an Overweight rating. Financial analysts who are employed by investment firms research  stocks and provide their opinions to investors about their possible future performance. Their opinion takes… read more…

Are you retired but interested in going back to work? Unless you’ve developed some hobbies or have significant interests outside your career, retirement can be a lonely place. Suddenly, many of your social contacts are gone. Mental and intellectual pursuits… read more…

Are you maxing out the 401(k) plan you have at work every year? Do you still have money left for saving and investment after contributing the maximum to your 401(k) and maybe an IRA or two? If so, then you… read more…

Investing in nickel is a bet on the prospects of the industrial and manufacturing sectors, both of which use lots of this base metal. Nickel investing, and investing in other base metals like zinc, iron, aluminum and uranium, is different from investing… read more…

A low interest rate environment coupled with the effects of the volatile rate environment in recent years has caused Americans who own homes to consider changing the terms of their mortgages. Their existing loans may have carried higher interest rates,… read more…

The phrase quadruple witching brings to mind stories that begin, “It was a dark and stormy night…” or folkloric visions of witches flying chaotically on broomsticks across the brightness of a moon. In the context of investing, quadruple witching also… read more…

When a loved one dies, there are a lot of questions you have to deal with, not the least of which is how to pay for a funeral and other death expenses. A life insurance policy could help, but the… read more…

Every year, the Social Security Administration issues a calendar of when the various Social Security benefits are going to be paid for the following year. All Social Security benefits are paid electronically. The Social Security Administration stopped sending paper checks… read more…

Estate planning can be complicated. You often need the services of a professional. Preparing a will is only one part of the estate planning process. When you are preparing your will, you need to decide whether or not a no-contest… read more…

Technically speaking, leaving the workforce between the ages of 61 and 65 is considered to be early retirement. However, according to the Life Insurance and Market Research Association, about 51% of Americans retire between the ages of 61 and 65. The average… read more…

Many people wonder whether they should be investing in qualified or non-qualified dividends and what the differences are. The largest difference is in how each is taxed. To help you determine what stock paying dividends could have a place in… read more…

Probating an estate is an expensive, time-consuming and sometimes adversarial affair. It is possible, and sometimes advisable, to avoid probate. With the help of an estate planner and, perhaps, an attorney, you can learn how to avoid probate for your… read more…

The issue of child support is one of the most contentious issues that couples face during a divorce. Child support is usually paid by the non-custodial parent to the custodial parent to cover expenses associated with the child or children… read more…

A recession is defined as two consecutive months when the GDP is negative. During a recessionary economy, policymakers are striving to keep inflation and interest rates low and unemployment stable. Inflation is simply a decrease in the value of a… read more…

Rebalancing an investment portfolio is the process of making sure the proportion of asset types in your portfolio reflects your goals. It builds on two tenets of investing, diversification and consistency. It’s a necessary process because various securities rise and fall… read more…

Many successful people will tell you that they read a book that changed their lives. In this look at several of the best personal finance books, there may be one or more that could help you change your financial life.… read more…

Corporations and government entities must have funding for their land, buildings, equipment, operating expenses and ongoing projects. One of the major sources of funding is through the debt market where they can issue debt instruments or bonds. Let’s break down… read more…

Retiring early is a dream that many Americans have but most investors aren’t confident they an achieve that goal. While 65 is considered a normal or expected retirement age, we look at what types of investments and other factors to… read more…

Business firms use a financial analysis technique called asset vs. liability management (ALM) to mitigate risk due to a mismatch in their assets and liabilities. A mismatch occurs when assets and liabilities do not correspond to each other properly. A… read more…

Professional liability insurance can help cover you and your business when a professional service mistake is made with a customer or client. Professional liability insurance is a different type of business insurance than general liability insurance and it extends your… read more…