CESA Basics
Funding a college or university education can be tough. On top of hunting for all the grants and scholarships you can, it’s vital to know how to make your funds work for you. A CESA (Coverdell Education Savings Account) is a malleable, long-term savings plan made precisely for primary school funding, college funding,…
REIT vs Direct Investing
When looking to add something to your overall financial portfolio real estate investments provide an attractive option. Having these valuable assets can open you up to many awesome financial opportunities in the future, such as appreciation and rental income. If you are seeking to invest in real estate, you have two options: buying…
Make Your Teenager a Millionaire with a Roth IRA
Did you know your children can contribute to a Roth IRA regardless of age? You bet your bottom dollar they can! Parents who are on track with savings may be looking for other ways to give their children a financial boost as they approach adulthood. Helping your children get a head start on…
Make your kids (and your money) work for you!
On May 3rd (This Saturday!) Our CEO, Jill Banner will be speaking on the topic of CESAs at iPlanGroup’s event “Tax Strategies & Wealth Building in Today’s Economy”. What is a CESA you ask? (C) Coverdell (E) Educational (S) Savings (A) Account In Jill’s presentation she will be giving you very useful information about…
Inflation and Retirement: Don’t Let It Get in the Way
Inflation: what does it really mean? Some perspective: In 1960, a home in the US had a median value of $11,900. The median price in 2010 was $170,000! Inflation is a very real risk for retirees and those nearing retirement; however, most investors do not take inflation into consideration in their retirement plans. According to…
Are You Ready for Retirement?
Now more than ever before there are many seniors in the workforce due to lack of retirement income. Retirement planning is key to building a successful retirement planning strategy and money management plan; while some seniors in the workforce today just never made a plan, others are working in order to meet the…
Cost Disclosure Rules Cause Cheaper Mutual Funds for Retirement
In the face of new cost-disclosure rules, many mutual funds have created cheaper share classes for retirement plans. The Labor Department is endeavoring to cut costs from retirement plans, requiring plan providers to give employees information about who pays what costs. More expensive mutual funds collect money not just for stocks but…
Thanks, IRS! Boosts to IRA and 401k Limits in 2013
The IRS has made it a little easier to grow your retirement nest egg for the golden years. On October 18th the IRS announced that contribution limits for IRAs and 401(k) plans would be increasing in response to inflation. In 2012, as much as $5,000 can be placed in an IRA and up to…
Why A Self Directed IRA is VITAL To Your Retirement Planning
Our clients constantly tell us stories about how discouraged they were until they started a SDIRA. For years, the stock market has been a roller coaster and most retirement portfolios are at unprecedented lows. If you are sick of seeing your portfolio lose value, start thinking about a self-directed IRA. Traditional investors…
Things to Pay Off Before You Retire
Between housing payments, utility bills, groceries and extra curricular expenses, making a monthly budget with a full-time job can be challenging enough. Facing retirement can be even more daunting with the prospect of meeting all your financial obligations without that full-time job. However, if you plan in advance, you can significantly diminish…