You may receive retirement and/or survivor's benefits from sources other than Social Security. Perhaps you are a federal employee, or maybe your employer pays you a pension. You can plan better for retirement if you know how income from other benefit plans may affect your Social Security benefits and how your Social Security benefits may affect how much you receive from other benefit plans.
One of the longest-standing debates in investing is over the relative merits of active portfolio management versus passive management. With an actively managed portfolio, a manager tries to beat the performance of a given benchmark index by using his or her judgment in selecting individual securities and deciding when to buy and sell them. A passively managed portfolio attempts to match that benchmark performance, and in the process, minimize expenses that can reduce an investor's net return.
Summer is the season of fun and relaxation, but it can also be a time of unexpected expenses. From last-minute vacations to sudden home repairs, these months can often put a strain on your finances. That’s why it’s important to build an emergency fund to help you prepare for any unforeseen expenses that may arise.
A revocable life insurance trust is a trust that is funded, at least in part, by life insurance policies or proceeds. It can be an effective planning tool that provides a source of liquid funds to your estate for the payment of taxes, debts, and expenses. Moreover, it allows you the flexibility to control the trust assets or amend the trust at any time prior to your death. A revocable life insurance trust is not designed to minimize transfer taxes or income taxes. A revocable life insurance trust does not remove the future appreciation of assets in the trust from your gross estate, nor does it remove the life insurance proceeds. To minimize taxes in these ways, you need to create an irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT). If you're a business owner, a revocable life insurance trust can be a great way to ensure that your heirs will be able to keep the business running after you die because they will have the cash to keep paying the bills.
As the U.S. population continues to age, the “sandwich generation” is caught in the middle, supporting both their parents and their children, whether financially, physically, or emotionally. This generation is the middle-aged generation supporting the baby boomer generation—now the largest generation ever.
Financial freedom is a state of being in control of one's finances, covering expenses easily, and saving for future goals. Financial freedom enables you to choose how you spend or interact with your money and have the choice to decide what to do with it. Financial freedom is essential to being financially secure and meeting your goals. Here are ten tips to help you develop financial freedom.
