Personal Finance

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The Perks of Having an Online Social Security Account

It’s called a “My Social Security” account. It’s often thought of as something for people getting Social Security benefits. In reality, there are positives for anyone who’s working and paying Social Security taxes.   Protect Your Social Security from Identity Thieves Once you set up a “My Social Security” account, you’re protected. There can never be more than one account [...]

By |2023-02-15T08:33:46-05:00February 15th, 2023|Financial Planning, Retirement Planning|

Betty White—A Financially Savvy Celebrity

Celebrities are often placed on a pedestal because of their success and their extraordinary talent—people like Elvis, Aretha Franklin, Prince, Michael Jackson, Howard Hughes, Pablo Picasso, Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix. They were gifted and they made boat-loads of money doing what they did best. But making money has no correlation to handling money. And in the case of everyone [...]

By |2023-02-09T09:39:32-05:00February 9th, 2023|Estate Planning, Financial Planning|

The Married Couples Social Security Playbook

Social Security is usually thought of in terms of an individual’s retirement benefit. But it’s equally important to understand the benefits of Social Security for married couples. Whether you’re a Baby Boomer spouse with limited work history because you stayed home to raise the kids, or a married couple who discovered during COVID that a happy family doesn’t require two [...]

By |2023-01-23T11:42:44-05:00January 23rd, 2023|Financial Planning, Retirement Planning|

9 Medicare Potholes That Can Cost You Big Time

So, you’re almost eligible for Medicare. For many who have struggled with health insurance since Congress passed Obamacare in 2010, going on Medicare is a step up from the expensive, high deductible, limited option plans available to them. But Medicare can be problematic too if you don’t know what to look for. Here are 9 of the most common Medicare [...]

By |2022-12-13T10:24:55-05:00December 13th, 2022|Financial Planning, Retirement Planning|

The IRS Will Tax Less of an Estate in 2023

In 2012, the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) established, for the first time, a permanent estate tax and gift tax exemption. The exemption is the amount an individual can pass on at death without paying estate taxes. The legislation set the exemption at $5 million per person, indexed for inflation. Five years later, Congress decided the exemption was not large [...]

By |2022-11-16T11:54:21-05:00November 16th, 2022|Estate Planning, Financial Planning|

2023 Retirement Plan Contribution Limits

Worried about saving enough for retirement? You can put away more next year. The IRS has just announced the new retirement plan contribution limits for 2023. The contribution limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan increases to $22,500, up from $20,500. For individuals 50 and older, the catch-up contribution [...]

By |2022-11-14T14:22:37-05:00November 14th, 2022|Financial Planning, Retirement Planning|
Go to Top