Financial

High-Income Individuals Face New Medicare-Related Taxes

Financial / By

The health-care reform legislation enacted in 2010 included new Medicare-related taxes that first took effect in 2013. These new taxes target high-income individuals and families. Here are the basics: Additional Medicare payroll tax If you receive a paycheck, you probably have some familiarity with the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) employment tax; at the very […]

High-Income Individuals Face New Medicare-Related Taxes Read More »

Evaluating a Job Offer

Financial / By

If you’re considering changing jobs, you’re not alone. Today, few people stay with one employer until retirement. It’s likely that at some point during your career, you’ll be looking for a new job. You may be looking to make more money or seeking greater career opportunities. Or, you may be forced to look for new

Evaluating a Job Offer Read More »

Dollar Cost Averaging

Consulting, Financial / By

If you haven’t started investing towards a long-term goal because you’re worried about short-term market volatility, consider using a popular investment strategy called dollar cost averaging. Dollar cost averaging takes some of the guesswork out of investing in the stock market. Instead of waiting to invest a single lump sum until you feel prices are

Dollar Cost Averaging Read More »

Bypassing Probate

Consulting, Financial / By

You may have heard about the horrors of probate, but in truth, probate has gotten an undeservedly bad reputation, especially in recent years. If you bypass probate, your estate will go to your beneficiaries without any court proceeding, and you may save a certain amount of time and expenses. However, there is usually little reason

Bypassing Probate Read More »

Medicare

Financial / By

Medicare is a federal program that provides health insurance to retired individuals, regardless of their medical condition, and certain younger people with disabilities or end-stage renal disease. Here are some basic facts about Medicare that you should know. What does Medicare cover? Medicare coverage consists of two main parts: Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and

Medicare Read More »

Asset Allocation

Consulting, Financial, Investment tips / By

Asset allocation is a common strategy that you can use to construct an investment portfolio. Asset allocation isn’t about picking individual securities. Instead, you focus on broad categories of investments, mixing them together in the right proportion to match your financial goals, the amount of time you have to invest, and your tolerance for risk.

Asset Allocation Read More »

Understanding Risk

Consulting, Financial / By

Few terms in personal finance are as important, or used as frequently, as “risk.” Nevertheless, few terms are as imprecisely defined. Generally, when financial advisors or the media talk about investment risk, their focus is on the historical price volatility of the asset or investment under discussion. Advisors label as aggressive or risky an investment

Understanding Risk Read More »

Charitable Giving

Financial / By

When developing your estate plan, you can do well by doing good. Leaving money to charity rewards you in many ways. It gives you a sense of personal satisfaction, and it can save you money in estate taxes. A few words about transfer taxes The federal government taxes transfers of wealth you make to others,

Charitable Giving Read More »

Buying a Home

Consulting, Financial / By

There’s no doubt about it–owning a home is an exciting prospect. After all, you’ve always dreamed of having a place that you could truly call your own. But buying a home can be stressful, especially when you’re buying one for the first time. Fortunately, knowing what to expect can make it a lot easier. How

Buying a Home Read More »