Retirement
We live in an age of disappearing pensions, depleted retirement accounts, and rising housing, medical, and even fuel costs. The idea to retire abroad on a budget has become a cliché. Yet the reality is that there are plenty of foreign countries that are happy to accept Americans as long-term retirement expatriates and where you […]
Early retirement now is entirely possible — if you plan ahead. The pathway to early retirement involves cutting unnecessary expenses, a frugal lifestyle, earning more, and investing as much as possible. Resist the temptation to spend lavishly during the first few years of retirement to make sure your savings last. Is early retirement now possible? […]
Retirement is usually pictured as a beautiful elderly couple sipping fine wine on their yacht or on a lazy front porch, usually in a warm-climate state such as Florida. Now that’s the kind of retirement I think we all want, right? Without knowing what the average retiree spends per month, though, it’s hard to predict […]
Nine states do not levy an income tax but other taxes and fees can be higher to compensate. It’s important to understand the positives and negatives of a new tax home before moving. Economists argue, but the jury is out on whether lower taxes means higher growth. “The only things that are certain in life […]
Low-cost exchange traded funds (ETFs) have made it easier for individual investors to build investment portfolios that rival those used by wealth managers. Long-term investing at a lower cost means better compounding returns for retirement. Not all ETFs are equal, so creating an ETF portfolio requires focus and diligence. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have experienced rapid […]
Starting a business is not about timing as much as it is about learning and growing, even if your first idea fails. Business survival rates are low but it doesn’t matter if the economy is growing or in recession. The key is having accounting skills, cash management and knowing your customer. You could start a […]
Self-directed retirement accounts, known as a self-directed individual retirement arrangement (IRA), were created in 1999 by an act of Congress after intensive lobbying of small business owners and associations. The beauty of a self-directed IRA is it allows you to invest up to $6,500 into a tax-deferred account where you control the investments. Many of […]
The U.S. Department of Commerce reported this morning that the United States’ economy grew at a 4.1% annualized quarterly pace for the three months ended June 30 of this year, representing the fastest quarterly increase in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) since the third quarter of 2014. In comparison to the same period a […]
As most of you know, stock prices in general, as measured by the major stock market indices, rose sharply over the past eight-and-a-half years, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing by 18,497 points (283%), the S&P 500 Total Return Index advancing by 405% and the Nasdaq Composite Index gaining a whopping 518% from March […]
Preparing for retirement means budgeting and making important lifestyle decisions. Your income is a crucial as your outgo, so healthcare is a big area to explore. The gig economy offers many opportunities to earn income after regular work stops. Get your adults kids on board so they understand what you’re doing financially and why. Americans […]
