By Kevin Theissen In late February, concern that efforts to contain Coronavirus Disease 2019 (a.k.a. COVID-19) might result in slower global economic growth disrupted global markets. Share prices fell as economists and financial analysts revised growth expectations, and investors worried […]
Category: Money Matters
Column, Money Matters
Money Matters: What do your taxes pay for?
Taxes are one of the biggest budget items for most taxpayers, yet many have no idea what they’re getting for their money. We all want to mitigate taxes and make sure you pay exactly what you owe – and not […]
Column, Money Matters
Money Matters: Are you honest with your spouse about money?
In an online poll conducted by YouGov, creditcards.com asked people how open and honest they are with their spouses and partners about money. The survey discovered financial infidelity is not uncommon. Respondents cheat financially in a variety of ways, including: […]
Column, Money Matters
IRA withdrawals that escape the 10% penalty
The reason withdrawals from a traditional Individual Retirement Account (IRA) prior to age 59½ are generally subject to a 10% tax penalty is that policymakers wanted to create a disincentive to use these savings for anything other than retirement. Yet, […]
Column, Money Matters
Money Matters: Where is your best place to retire?
By Kevin Theissen The best place to retire in the United States is in dispute. There’s no formal debate, but a review of various publications showed surveys have named different states and cities as the “best” place to retire. For […]
Column, Money Matters
Money Matters: How to make the tax code work for you
By Kevin Theissen By April 19, 2019, 137 million taxpayers had filed their federal income tax returns. And they all made decisions about deductions and credits – whether they realized it. When you take the time to learn more about […]
Column, Money Matters
Money Matters: The new SECURE act
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 […]
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 […]