Believe in Your Possibilities December 24. For all who believe in Santa or Jesus, December 24 is Christmas Eve. It’s a day many have waited and planned for, inspired by long-held traditions that bring families and friends together under common beliefs. On Christmas Eve, children’s anticipation of Santa’s sleigh on the rooftop and the goodies left [...]
Archive for December, 2009
Follow Your Star
Posted in Education, Retirement, Savings, tagged Christmas, Jesus, Marianne Williamson, New Year, Santa on December 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Last-minute Christmas Shopping Solutions
Posted in Credit/Debt, Education, tagged Christmas, closed loop, gift cards, open loop, shopping on December 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
With less than 48 hours until Christmas, I sure hope you’ve done the lion’ share of your shopping. As you lay your head down this evening and begin to think, “Who am I missing?” Perhaps a Gift Card might be the solution you need. Let’s think … Did you get a gift for the mailman, [...]
Lump Sum Pension Vs. Monthly Payments
Posted in Retirement, tagged annuity payment, Individual Retirement Account, IRA, lump sum pension, monthly payments, pension plan, Required Minimum Distribution, Retirement, survivor benefit on December 22, 2009 | 2 Comments »
In this past week, I have had two clients call to ask me about the offer they have from their employer of an early retirement. The employer has offered to give the employee a lump sum or they can have a monthly pension check for the rest of their lives (plus their surviving spouse if [...]
Everything That Counts
Posted in Charitable & Planned Giving, Estate Planning, Medical & Health Issues, tagged Albert Einstein, cancer, financial planner, Salvation Army, Sana Claus on December 21, 2009 | 1 Comment »
I remember the first time that I heard a friend of mine, Elizabeth Jetton, use the quote “Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted.” I thought that it was pretty cool then and even cooler upon learning that the quote is attributed to Albert Einstein. I always [...]
Ready to Retire – Moneywise?
Posted in Retirement, tagged 401(k), nest egg, preparedness, Retirement, retirement lifestyle, retirement plan on December 18, 2009 | 1 Comment »
For those of us between the ages of 45 to 54, the thought of retirement should be popping up a few times these days. For those between 55 and 64, the thought may be taking on urgent tones. Many of us are reconciling to the idea that it may be a fact that we have [...]
Inheriting a Traditional IRA?
Posted in Estate Planning, tagged beneficiary, distributions, Individual Retirement Account, inheritor, IRA, IRS Publication 590, Required Minimum Distribution, RMD, Roth IRA on December 17, 2009 | 1 Comment »
The bad news is somebody died. The good news is, you inherited their Individual Retirement Account (IRA). There’s a little more bad news. The rules around inherited IRAs listed in the IRS’s Publication 590 run for many, many pages in this tax publication. My advice is to seek out a planner who is very familiar [...]
New Year’s Resolutions of the Financial Kind
Posted in Employment, Home Ownership, Insurance, Investments, Retirement, Savings, tagged 401(k), financial plan, Insurance, IRA, mortgage, New Years, resolutions, Roth IRA on December 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
While it isn’t quite New Year’s just yet, we are getting close. So this month I thought I’d share some thoughts regarding that most popular tradition — New Year’s Resolutions. Only these are resolutions of the financial kind. The very first resolution on your list for the coming New Year should be to get a written [...]
Is a Donor-Advised Fund Right for You?
Posted in Charitable & Planned Giving, tagged charitable giving, charitable tax deduction, charity, community foundation donor-advised fund, donor-advised fund, IRS requirements, tax return on December 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Charles Dickens has a scene in A Christmas Carol where two charity workers approach Scrooge on Christmas Eve: “. . . a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, [...]
Current Thinkers on Our Financial System
Posted in Banking, Credit/Debt, Education, Investments, Retirement, Savings, tagged Capitalism: A Love Story, financial system, John Bogle, Kotlikoff, Michael Moore, mutual funds, Vanguard Funds, Wall Street on December 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
If you’re like me, you might prefer to get your news from sources who think a lot like you — people with similar political views, topical interests, as well as the same basic reference point of the world, its problems and solutions. But, when it comes to fixing a system that involves all of us, we [...]
How Can You Protect Your Assets Against Inflation?
Posted in Savings, tagged gold, inflation, purchasing power, Savings, stocks, TIPS, Treasury Inflation Protected Securities on December 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Many people are concerned that inflation will increase in the future. The forecasts of large government budget deficits and the recent rapid growth in government programs (TARP, the stimulus package and the various health care plans) both suggest that inflation is coming. You may be worried that your savings will lose purchasing power. What can [...]
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Bloggers
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Lee Baker, CFP®
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Rick Kahler, CFP®, MS
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Bonnie Hughes, CFP®
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Rick Miller, CFP®
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Tara Scottino, CFP®
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Robert Schmansky, CFP®
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Francis St. Onge, CFP®
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Karin Maloney Stifler, CFP®, AIF®
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Somnath Basu
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Jude Boudreaux, CFP®
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FPA Guest Blogger
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Sam Hull, CFP®, ACC
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Dave Caruso, CFP®
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John Comer, CFP®
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David Bergmann, CFP®
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Joe Pitzl, CFP®
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Chip Workman, CFP®
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Saundra Davis
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Gelasia Steed, CFP®
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Aaron Coates, CFP® CIMA
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Michael Snowdon, CFP®
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Pamela Sandy, CFP®
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Mike Branham, CFP®
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Edward W. Gjertsen II, CFP®
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Constance Stone, CFP®
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Andrew B. Chou, CFP®
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