Yes! Unless you absolutely cannot afford to set aside any dollars whatsoever, you should contribute to your employer’s 401(k) plan. A 401(k) plan is one of the most powerful tools you can use to save for your retirement. The first benefit is that your pre-tax contributions to a 401(k) plan are not taxed as current…
Tax time is just around the corner, and if you are like most taxpayers, you are finding yourself with the ominous chore of pulling together the records for your tax appointment. The difficultly of this task depends upon how well you maintained your tax records throughout the year. No matter how good your record keeping…
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…
In today’s Marietta Daily Journal, Bil Lako, CFP®, explains that tax “audit triggers” are just actions that occur in your everyday life and in the course of doing business. Read the Article This article is for demonstrative and academic purposes and is meant to provide valuable background information on particular investments, NOT a recommendation to buy.…
By: Tim O’Pry | Chief Security Officer With the advent of the Internet of Things (internet connected devices), the average consumer is likely to have multiple devices in their home, office, or on their person that is capable of surreptitious surveillance and not be aware of it. One of the more high profile examples of…
In today’s Marietta Daily Journal, Bil Lako, CFP®, explains that for business owners, exiting a small business is a complicated process and one that should be planned for years in advance, not just in the short time leading up to retirement. Read the Article This article is for demonstrative and academic purposes and is meant to…
Entrepreneurs often shrug off the idea of obtaining an employer identification number, or EIN, believing that their small business really doesn’t need one. Though there are some cases where a solo business can get away with merely utilizing the business owner’s Social Security Number, doing so is not necessarily the best idea, even if you…
You may be able to deduct up to $2,500 each year from your gross income if you’ve paid interest on a qualified education loan for qualified higher education expenses during the year. To be eligible for the deduction, your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) must fall below a threshold figure. For 2019, the deduction begins…
Gambling takes many forms: casino games, horse racing, sports book betting, lotto tickets, scratchers, bingo, etc. For virtually everyone, gambling is a recreational activity and, as such, is done for fun. For most gamblers, their losses for the year will exceed their winnings, and since losses in excess of winnings are not deductible, most gamblers…
As a retirement savings plan participant, you know that setting an accumulation goal is an important part of your overall strategy. In fact, over decades of conducting its annual Retirement Confidence Survey, the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) has found that goal setting is a key factor influencing overall retirement confidence. But for many, a…
