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Financial Planning Perspectives
Monday, May 13, 2019
Here it is. A topic that can spark concern whenever it comes to mind - even on a sunny Saturday morning: retirement. Notice how we say “can spark concern”, vice “will.” The following article will explain why,...
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Monday, January 7, 2019
Castle Monthly Financial Markets Update - December 2018 Financial Market Recap for November 2018 The final week of November drove the major stock market indices back into positive territory for the year-to-date with the S&P 500...
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Monday, December 3, 2018
October Delivered Some Tricks, But Also Lots of Treats! October Tricks October was a historic month for the bull stock market with the S&P 500’s 7% decline. This was the worst drop since September of 2011 when we were in the...
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Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Castle Monthly Financial Markets Updates - October 2018 U.S. Stock Markets Update What a wonderful period the third quarter of 2018 turned out to be for the major stock market averages. The Dow gained over 9%, the S&P 500 rose 7.7% and...
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Creating a long-term financial plan that ties your life aspirations to your financial goals can help you to distinguish wants from needs, establish clear priorities, and avoid misguided investment decisions.
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Monday, October 1, 2018
Castle Monthly Financial Markets Updates September 2018 Stocks continued to move higher last week in the run-up to the Labor Day weekend holiday with the month of August bucking the historical trend of being a down month. The S&P 500...
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Tuesday, October 3, 2017
College is often considered the surest path to a lucrative career. After all, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a worker with a bachelor's degree typically earns two-thirds more than someone with just a high school...
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Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Family caregiver contracts can range from informal to complex professional contracts drawn up by lawyers. Here's what you should know to decide what's best for you. When the caregiver whom Amy Goyer, of Phoenix, hired for her...
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Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Newlyweds can suddenly become ineligible for Roth IRAs once their incomes are combined, although couples may still invest in them indirectly. Q. I'm getting married next month, and when we add up my income and my wife's, we'll earn...
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Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Heirs must begin taking withdrawals once they inherit an IRA, but how they choose to make those distributions can have a big impact on their account balance over time. Q. My mother just passed away at the age of 60. She has $110,000 in...
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Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Now is a good time to review your 401(k) contributions to make sure you're getting your employer's full match. Q. I've been contributing to my 401(k), and my employer matches a portion of my contributions. Does the $18,000 maximum for...
Read MoreWhile Donald Trump has yet to appoint a four-legged friend to walk the halls of the White House (making him the first president since William McKinley not to have a dog), his Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, made history this...
Read MoreCostly cities are costly for a reason. Be it climate, geography, culture, economic prosperity or all of the above, the most expensive U.S. cities to live in offer amenities and opportunities for which residents are willing to pay a...
Read MoreTen years ago, thousands of Blockbuster Video stores occupied buildings like this all over the country, renting DVDs and selling popcorn. Today, all but a handful are closed. The company’s shares once traded for nearly $30. Now...
Read MoreThe labor market is steadily improving, with unemployment at its lowest level in a decade, but some fields continue to experience a downward slide. For example, about 1.7 million manufacturing jobs were lost between January 2007 and...
Read MoreA million dollars ain't what it used to be, but it still earns you entry into an elite group. Only 5.5% of the country, or about 6.8 million households, qualify as bona fide millionaires. That means they have investable assets of $1 million
Read MoreHeading into your retirement years brings a slew of new topics to grapple with, and one of the most maddening may be Medicare. Figuring out when to enroll, what to enroll in and what coverage will be best for you can be daunting. To help yo
Read MoreA Costco membership opens doors, quite literally, to a vast selection of bulk-size groceries and household goods selling at discounted prices. But buying potato chips and toilet paper by the case is just the start. The warehouse club also s
Read MoreWhen it comes to cheap living, don't mess with Texas. The Lone Star State is home to the two most-affordable cities in America. But Texas doesn't have a monopoly on low living costs. Five other states make an appearance on our list.
Read MoreHome Depot is probably the first retailer to come to mind when you’re thinking “ubiquitous big-box hardware store.” The rise of these orange-hued home-improvement centers was a revelation to those who grew up with small, neighborhood hardwa
Read MoreCyberthreats are where much of the action is for today’s military, but war planners haven’t forgotten the need to keep up with traditional ways of enhancing America’s defense: weapons and the means to deliver them.
Read MoreMany of us first signed up for Amazon Prime years ago to take advantage of free two-day shipping, and stayed with it as the giant online retailer edged the annual fee toward the triple-digit mark. But what are you really getting with your $
Read MoreYour credit score is a critical piece of information that lenders use to determine how creditworthy you might be. Knowing your score - and what it takes to maintain a healthy score - is key to your financial outlook.
Read MoreSmall business owners face a unique - but critical- investing challenge. Diversifying investment holdings outside of the business. Luckily there are many options to consider.
Read MoreIs your organization ready to offer a 401(k) plan for the first time - or are you in the market for a new provider? Either way, there are many factors to consider as you weigh the features of various plans.
Read MoreWith so many charities competing for your philanthropic dollars, the better armed you are with information, the better able you will be to make a wise charitable choice.
Read MoreRecent research has found that when it comes to collecting Social Security benefits, the income replacement rate for two-income couples has been declining steadily for a number of years.
Read MoreAs 2016 draws to a close, take time to reflect on the changes that have occurred in the past 12 months and how they might affect all aspects of your life - including your investment risk tolerance.
Read MoreUnder certain circumstances, the IRS is now allowing individuals who miss the 60-day window to roll over assets from qualified retirement accounts to avoid paying the potential early distribution taxes.
Read MoreThe FINRA Investor Education Foundation set out to determine how skilled Americans are at managing their financial lives. Details of their research are shared in this article.
Read MoreWhen employees leave a company they may leave behind money in a retirement plan account. What are plan sponsors’ options for handling the cash? Here are some answers to commonly asked questions.
Read MoreThe cost of living varies significantly across the country making it essential to be a savvy shopper and saver - wherever you call home.
Read MoreThe generation of young Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 are now the largest, most influential demographic group in the United States. Here’s a glimpse into their financial world.
Read MoreIdentity theft is rampant in America. And tax-related identity crimes are among the fastest-growing offenses. Learn what the IRS is doing -- and steps you can take -- to help you stay protected.
Read MoreGood news for families: the interest rates on new federal student loans is dropping for the coming academic year. Here are the details and resources for more information.
Read MoreDo emotions cloud your judgment when it comes to making decisions about your investments? If so, you - and many others - have much to gain by developing a disciplined, long-term plan and sticking with it.
Read MoreA retirement plan is crucial to a company's ability to attract and retain loyal, talented employees. The plan's vesting schedule is a key factor determining its appeal.
Read MoreHere is some basic - but important - information about life insurance policies and why so many Americans are under- or uninsured.
Read MoreOne way to potentially avoid paying an early withdrawal penalty on money taken from your IRA before age 59½ is to use what is called "substantially equal periodic payments (SEPPs)."
Read MoreEmployer matching contributions can go far toward attracting and retaining talented, loyal employees. Make sure you are "getting the message out" about this important benefit.
Read MoreGender issues affect more than just a woman's paychecks. Longevity, family caregiving, and the gender wage gap influence women's long-term financial well-being and retirement security.
Read MoreAuto-enrollment has helped retirement plan sponsors improve their plan participation rates and enhanced many other key plan metrics.
Read MoreThere is more to college planning than saving and investing. There is financial aid to consider as well as the search to find the "just right" institution for your child.
Read MoreNew regulations - so-called "conflict of interest" rules - impacting retirement savers and the financial professionals who serve the retirement industry were introduced by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) in April 2016.
Read MoreWhen was the last time you checked the beneficiary designations on your retirement plans? It's an important - but often overlooked or forgotten - aspect of wealth transfer.
Read MoreThe saver's credit allows certain low- to middle-income individuals to claim a tax credit for making contributions to an IRA or a workplace retirement account.
Read MoreManaging finances responsibly takes a lot of time and experience. Learn from your mistakes and try to avoid the traps described here.
Read MoreThis year, Employee Benefit Research Institute's 26th annual Retirement Confidence Survey found that worker confidence remained stable but did not improve, due in part to lackluster market performance.
Read MoreStock selection is part art, part science. There are many factors that must be considered when evaluating a company including its finances, the industry it operates in, and various valuation metrics.
Read MoreHealth savings accounts are a popular resource commonly used by individuals covered by a high-deductible health plan. Whether you have access to an HSA through your employer or you opt to enroll in one on your own, there is much to learn
Read MoreMany participants in employer-sponsored retirement savings plans have the option to convert their plan assets into a guaranteed annuity when they retire, assuring a steady income flow. Whether you'll want to exercise this option depends o
Read MoreWith a special estate planning instrument called a QTIP (Qualified Terminable Interest Property) trust, you can give your spouse an income stream for life and choose who will receive the trust property at your spouse's death.
Read MoreWhile the trend toward digital investing and advice appears unstoppable, investors continue to have mixed feelings about the robo-investing movement.
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