A few weeks ago I published my post called “75 Frugal Gifts You Can Give For Christmas“. The post was an extensive list of frugal gift ideas, gifts that people could buy or make for their loved ones, but not break the bank. One of my favorite gift ideas from the list was one that […]
ShareBuilder By Capital One Review: Discount Online Brokerage
I‘ve been looking into the many options available to me lately when it come to discount online brokerages. It seems like just about everyone has a service that they like best, and that they prefer using. The first one I had heard recommended was OptionsHouse, which I reviewed last time. It had a good mix […]
2011 Traditional And Roth IRA Contribution Limits And Phase Outs
At the end of October, the IRS released their 2011 IRA contribution limits. If you have a Roth IRA (and you should), you’ll want to keep a close eye on the amount you’re allowed to contribute each year, because from time to time the amount does go up. When it does, you want to make […]
What Is The Best Place To Open A Roth IRA?
As my wife and I go through the Dave Ramsey’s 7 Baby Steps, we’re finally completing step 3, building 3-6 months of expenses (although we decided to save closer to a year of expenses), and we’re now entering step 4 where you are to invest 15% into Roth IRAs and other pre-tax retirement accounts. While […]
Nearly A Quarter of Fidelity’s 401(k) Accounts Have Loans Against Them. Why This Is A Bad Idea.
A while back I wrote an article about 401k loans and taking early withdrawals from your retirement account. I talked about the penalties you could face, and explained why I think it’s a bad idea. This week I was reading some economic news and came upon an article on Reuters.com that gives a startling statistic […]
Saving For Retirement Til It Hurts!
Ah, retirement. Could there be a bigger financial goal out there than this? We all talk about it, think about it, read about it, and plan for it. But how many of us do what it takes to get ourselves into a position to retire how we want when we want? How many of us […]
Online Retirement Calculators: More Harm Than Help?
People often ask me to point them to a decent online retirement planning calculator. I never do. You see, I don’t trust such calculators. It’s not that their math is wrong. (At least, not usually.) The problem is that their calculations are often based on shoddy assumptions and unknowable variables. You Know What They Say […]
Roth IRA Withdrawal Rules
The Roth IRA is a wonderful investment option that many people take advantage of every year mainly because of it’s tax free growth and because it allows you to diversify your tax situation at retirement if you also invest in some pre-tax investment types like a 401k or IRA. While the ideal situation is to […]
Important Inheritance Tips For Your 401(k)
Most people are busy learning about a 401(k), taking steps to set it up and choose the right investments. But how often do you think about what will happen to your retirement savings if something were to happen to you? To be honest, such thinking has been off my radar screen, but after getting a […]
3 Reasons Not To Save Into A Roth IRA For Retirement
Everyone should be saving into a Roth IRA for retirement! Have you heard those words before? I’ve seen them strewn about the web here ‘n there on various blogs or in comments on other personal finance sites. Is that true? – Should everyone be saving into a Roth IRA? Not exactly. Although Roth IRA’s have […]
What You Need To Know About Mutual Fund Sales Fees And Expenses
If you’ve read about mutual fund investing, or perhaps discussed it with someone knowledgeable on the subject, the topic of fees and expenses most likely came up in the conversation. For someone who isn’t a financial advisor or broker, mutual fund fees and expenses can be quite a confusing subject. How do you know when […]
Finding Your Retirement Sweet Spot!
Do you remember playing baseball while you were growing up? One of the best feelings in the world was finding your groove with your swing and hitting the ball with the bat’s sweet spot. The ball seemed to jump off the bat with little effort! If you’re a golfer you know that feeling too. Getting […]
Early Retirement: Important Rules To Remember
Many people I talk to would love to take early retirement. What they typically mean is that they would love to retire early from their current occupation, live off retirement savings and find a hobby or passion to pursue and maybe make some income from in their later years! Early retirement is definitely possible, and […]
Ten Things You Should Know About Taking Early Distributions From Your Retirement Plan
During tough times like these a lot of people are running into situations where they may h ave to take an early distribution from their retirement plan to help pay for bills, a home mortgage or some other expense. While it’s not typically something you should probably do, in some cases it’s unavoidable. Today I […]
