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…