by Kevin Theissen The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act is now law. With it, comes some of the biggest changes to retirement savings law in recent years. While the new rules don’t appear to amount to […]
Category: Money Matters
Column, Money Matters
Save on gym membership costs
The start of the new year is here and you might be thinking of tackling those extra pounds with a gym membership. The cost of a membership to your local fitness center can be pricey, especially if you are looking […]
Column, Money Matters
Money Matters: Retirement plans
Not everyone is financially prepared for retirement. Earlier this year, the Employee Benefit Research Institute estimated almost 41% of American households will run short of money in retirement. Believe it or not, that’s an improvement over 2014 when almost 43% […]
Column, Money Matters
Money Matters: Maximizing benefits
By Kevin Theissen Most understand that waiting to claim Social Security benefits can result in higher monthly payments. However, many don’t know that there are other ways to maximize their benefits, some of which depend on their marital status. Understanding […]
Column, Money Matters
Monday Matters: Pay yourself first
Each month you settle down to pay bills. You pay your mortgage lender. You pay the electric company. You pay the trash collector. But do you pay yourself? One of the most basic tenets of sound investing involves the simple […]
Column, Money Matters
The cost of procrastination
Some of us share a common experience. You’re driving along when a police officer pulls up behind you with lights flashing. You pull over, the officer gets out, and your heart drops. “Are you aware the registration on your car […]
Column, Money Matters
Rebalancing your portfolio
Everyone loves a winner. If an investment is successful, most people naturally want to stick with it. But is that the best approach? It may sound counter intuitive, but it may be possible to have too much of a good […]
Column, Money Matters
The financial literacy crisis
Money Matters by Kevin Theissen Imagine driving a car without a basic understanding of the rules of the road, or even how to operate it. Scary thought. Yet many Americans are operating their personal finances with only the barest minimum […]
Money Matters
When should you take Social Security? Sooner than you think!
ByKevin Theissen The Social Security program allows you to start receiving benefits as soon as you reach age 62. The question is, should you? Monthly payments differ substantially depending on when you start receiving benefits. The longer you wait (up […]
Money Matters
Tax deductions we overlook the most
Who among us wants to pay the IRS more taxes than we have to? While few may raise their hands, Americans regularly overpay because they fail to take tax deductions for which they are eligible. Let’s take a quick look […]