- How to Build Wealth in Your 20s
Building wealth in your 20s is a crucial step toward establishing a solid financial foundation for the future. Starting to invest early provides your money with more time to grow exponentially through the power of compound interest, significantly increasing its value over time. To achieve financial success, prioritize building savings and make well-informed investment decisions… read more…
- What Are the Tax Benefits of 529 Plans?
When planning for your child’s future education, a 529 plan offers several tax advantages. Contributions to a 529 plan grow tax-free, meaning any investment earnings are not subject to federal tax as long as they are used for qualified education expenses. Additionally, many states offer tax deductions or credits for contributions to a 529 plan,… read more…
- 5 Wealth Management Strategies to Consider
Effective wealth management strategies can significantly enhance financial well-being and maintain long-term security. By incorporating diversified investment portfolios, tax-efficient planning, strategic gifting, estate planning and risk management, individuals can tailor their approach to their unique financial goals. Exploring various wealth management strategies can provide the necessary tools to build and preserve wealth, paving the way… read more…
- Wealth Management Advice You Might Want to Consider
Wealth management is a holistic approach to handling financial affairs and creating a strategic plan for managing an individual’s assets. It encompasses various financial services, such as retirement and investment management, estate planning, and more. While often associated with affluent clients, wealth management can benefit a broad range of individuals. Professional wealth management advice from… read more…
- What Is Intergenerational Wealth Planning?
Intergenerational wealth planning is the process of preserving and transferring wealth across multiple generations. This can help you maintain financial stability and preserve a legacy for future family members. This comprehensive approach often includes managing investments, estates and inheritance taxes. By prioritizing intergenerational wealth planning, families can create long-lasting financial security and uphold their values… read more…
- What Is Wealth Planning and Why Is It Important?
Wealth planning is a comprehensive approach to managing financial resources that focuses on the accumulation, preservation and the transfer of wealth. This process involves creating a strategic plan that encompasses various aspects of personal finance, including investment management, tax planning, estate planning and retirement planning. Engaging in wealth planning can provide a structured path to… read more…
- Does a 529 Plan Earn Interest?
A 529 plan, a popular choice for college savings, typically does not directly earn interest in the traditional sense. Instead, the growth of a 529 plan depends on the investment options chosen within the plan, such as mutual funds, which can be appreciated over time. While the plan itself doesn’t accrue interest like a savings… read more…
- What Are Tax-Free Distributions From 529 Plans?
A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings account designed to help families save for future education costs. Withdrawing money, also called a distribution, from a 529 plan for qualified education expenses, such as tuition, fees, books, and room and board, is tax-free. Neither the federal government, nor most states, will tax the earnings on these withdrawals.… read more…
- Financial Planning vs. Retirement Planning
Financial planning and retirement planning are both important parts of managing your financial health. Financial planning is a broad approach encompassing budgeting, saving, investing, tax planning and risk management to achieve various life goals. Retirement planning specifically focuses on preparing financially for life after work, with the aim of securing a steady income and financial… read more…
- Who Maintains Control Over a 529 Plan’s Assets?
A 529 plan is a popular savings vehicle for college expenses, but you may wonder who maintains control over the 529 plan and its assets. Control typically resides with the account owner, often a parent or grandparent, who retains the authority to make investment decisions and withdrawals. The beneficiary, usually the student, has no direct… read more…
- 10 Free Tools to Help Build Your Financial Plan
Taking control of your finances can yield great rewards without breaking the bank. Free personal finance tools, from AI chatbots to printable worksheets, can help you budget, track expenses, manage investments, set goals and monitor progress. These no-cost resources empower informed decisions and lay the groundwork for a strong financial future. For deeper insight and… read more…
- How to Use the Double Consolidation Loophole for Student Loans
The double consolidation loophole is a way for parent borrowers to make their loans eligible for the improved repayment terms available under the Biden administration’s SAVE program. This can lower monthly payments for a qualifying household significantly, as the SAVE program offers more generous income-based repayment options than Parent PLUS Loans. However, the window of opportunity… read more…
- How Is Alimony Calculated in New York?
Alimony is a payment from one divorced former spouse to the other that’s intended to provide the lower-earning spouse with sufficient income to meet their needs. Laws in every state provide for alimony, also known as spousal support or spousal maintenance, but they use a variety of ways to set the amount of money to… read more…
- How Is Alimony Calculated in California (CA)?
This alimony system was built around the idea that the job market significantly disfavored women, so a divorced wife could rarely support herself. As a result, alimony often required a significant division of future income for either life or until the recipient remarried. Most states have changed this system in whole or in part. Alimony, today,… read more…
- How to Achieve Retirement Security With a Financial Plan
Personal finance can be daunting, but with a well-crafted financial plan, you could map a course to help reach your financial goals with confidence. A financial plan is a comprehensive strategy that is tailored to your unique financial situation and encompasses budgeting, savings, investments, insurance and estate planning. Whether you’re preparing for major milestones or… read more…
- I Have $900k in a Roth IRA and Would Receive $2,200 Monthly From Social Security. Can I Retire at 66?
Imagine that you have $900,000 in a Roth IRA and collect another $2,200 per month in Social Security. Can you afford to retire at age 66? A good way to answer this question is to start with your budget. What do you expect to spend on essentials, like housing and fixed monthly expenses, and what… read more…
- Income-Based Repayment (IBR) vs. SAVE for Student Loans
If you owe money on a federal student loan, you may be able to qualify for a repayment plan that will lower your payments and, ultimately, provide for partial forgiveness of the debt. Income-Based Repayment (IBR) and Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) are two popular repayment plans that include forgiveness. The two plans are… read more…
- How Is Debt Divided During a Divorce?
During a divorce, debt is handled the same as assets. This means, primarily, that courts will try to follow two rules. First, courts will distribute debt based on its marital and pre-marital status. Debt that someone held before the marriage will, in general, remain entirely with that individual. Debt the couple accrued during the marriage… read more…
- Gift Tax Calculator: Do You Owe Gift Taxes?
Enter the value of gifts given to up to three people during this tax year. Also enter your total cumulative lifetime gifts given in previous years, which count toward your lifetime gift tax exclusion and may affect your taxes due in this and future years. Do you have questions about gift taxes or estate planning… read more…
- How Permanent Alimony Works During Retirement in Florida
In July, 2023, Florida eliminated permanent alimony as a category from its divorce statute. Going forward, alimony payments in Florida will be based on set terms. Payments will expire either after a specific amount of time has passed or once specific conditions have been met. This means that spouses can now plan for an end to… read more…
- How Child Support Is Calculated in California
Like all states, California uses a formula to calculate the exact amount of child support that a parent owes. This formula result is then applied and modified by a family court judge, who produces a final child support order. Family courts have broad discretion to modify child support based on their impression of the child’s… read more…
- How to Build a Financial Planning Training Program
As financial markets grow in complexity and the demand for tailored financial advice continues to escalate in the U.S., a variety of training programs can provide the necessary education for both aspiring and seasoned financial advisors. These lessons could span from investment strategies to tax planning and retirement, as well as estate management and other… read more…
- 7 Major Financial Checkpoints: How Do You Stack Up?
When it comes to financial plans, your assets, cash flows and debts all influence the path toward your goals. While talking to a financial advisor can help you establish a comprehensive plan to reach your goals, you can use basic rules of thumb to gauge your current financial position. 1. Housing Ratio (Monthly housing costs)/(Monthly… read more…
- How to Manage Sudden Wealth in 7 Steps
A substantial boost in your personal wealth can happen overnight. You can win the lottery, inherit an estate or profit from a business sale. Many people aren’t prepared for a sudden windfall, making it difficult to know which steps can protect that money and grow it long-term to last a lifetime. If this sounds like… read more…
- What Is the Average Net Worth of a 50-Year-Old?
The typical American household led by a 50-year-old has an average net worth of $897,663, according to Federal Reserve data. This stage of life underscores the importance of consistent wealth-building efforts. Comparing net worth benchmarks by age can serve as a useful reference point for assessing your financial standing. By implementing strategic planning and maintaining… read more…