The impact of 3% yearly inflation on the purchasing power of $200,000 Savings builds a foundation The first step in investing is to secure a strong financial foundation. Start with these four basic steps: Create a “rainy day” reserve: Set aside enough cash to get you through an unexpected period of illness or unemployment–three to
If you direct your own 401(k) plan investments, you’ll need to consider the investment objectives, the risk and return characteristics, and the performance over time of each investment option offered by your plan in order to make sound investment decisions. Fees and expenses are factors that may affect your investment returns, and therefore impact your
There is no magic formula to determine how much you or your child should borrow for college. But there is such a thing as borrowing too much. How much is too much? One guideline is for students to borrow no more than their expected first-year starting salary after college, which, in turn, depends on a
What Are Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)? Required minimum distributions, often referred to as RMDs or minimum required distributions, are amounts that the federal government requires you to withdraw annually from traditional IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans after you reach age 70½ (or, in some cases, after you retire). You can always withdraw more than the
What is meant by annuities within IRAs? An annuity is one of the investment options available for your IRA money, as are mutual funds and certificates of deposit. Most financial planning professionals, however, recommend against holding an annuity within an IRA. Why invest your IRA in an annuity? There are two primary reasons why you
When saving for retirement, you’re probably aware of the benefits of using tax-preferred accounts such as 401(k)s and IRAs. But you may not be aware of another type of tax-preferred account that may prove very useful, not only during your working years but also in retirement: the health savings account (HSA). HSA in a nutshell
Changing careers can be rewarding for many reasons, but career transitions don’t always go smoothly. Your career shift may take longer than expected, or you may find yourself temporarily out of work if you need to go back to school or can’t immediately find a job. Consider these four tips to help make the financial
An estate plan is a map that explains how you want your personal and financial affairs to be handled in the event of your incapacity or death. Due to its importance and because circumstances change over time, you should periodically review your estate plan and update it as needed. When should you review your estate
Answer: If you leave your company, you can often continue your life insurance coverage with the same insurance company. The group life insurance contract under which you are insured may have a conversion privilege available to all employees who are insured under the employer’s group plan. A conversion privilege will be subject to certain conditions
The combination of investments you choose for your retirement portfolio can be as important as your specific investments. The mix of various asset classes, such as stocks, bonds, and cash alternatives, account for most of the ups and downs of a portfolio’s returns. Deciding how much of each you should include is one of your
