Without an adequate emergency fund, a period of crisis could be financially devastating. Many financial professionals suggest that you set aside three to six months’ worth of living expenses for emergencies. The actual amount, however, should be based on your individual circumstances. Do you have a mortgage? Do you have short-term and long-term disability protection?…
If you have an IRA account or are considering one, there are a number of potential missteps you will want to avoid. Some of them can lead to unwanted taxes and penalties, and of course, we are talking about your retirement funding, so it is an important issue. Here are a number of issues to…
The transition into retirement is when you are changing from your full-time working years to your retirement years. If retirement is approaching, you may have to make numerous decisions. Questions you might be asking yourself: Can you afford to retire? What about early retirement—is it a possibility? If you want to continue working, are there…
A health savings account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged account that you can establish and contribute to if you are enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). Because you shoulder a greater portion of your health-care costs, you’ll usually pay a much lower premium for an HDHP than you would pay for traditional health insurance. This…
In the last few years, it’s become common for consumers to ditch cable television in favor of streaming services and devices. Many affordable streaming options are available, making it easier for consumers to give up cable without necessarily sacrificing their favorite shows. But there are some drawbacks to relying exclusively on streaming services for television…
The dust has not yet settled from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), passed into law in December 2017, and the House Ways and Means Committee is already considering another round of tax changes. The committee chair, Kevin Brady, Republican from Texas, wants to include input from stakeholders such as business groups, think tanks…
Not all plans offer hardship withdrawals, but the ones that do will be required to comply for plan years beginning in 2019. In order to take a hardship withdrawal from a 401(k) or similar plan, a plan participant must demonstrate an “immediate and heavy financial need,” as defined by the IRS. (For details, visit the…
In today’s Marietta Daily Journal, Bil Lako, CFP®, explains why you probably shouldn’t compare your portfolio’s performance to the S&P 500 Index. 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. The investments referenced within this article may currently…
By: Tim O’Pry | Chief Security Officer The vast majority of mobile devices today are either from Apple (iPhone and iPad), which all run Apple’s proprietary iOS, or they are running a version of Android from Google. Most security researchers consider the Apple iOS to be far more secure than Android for the following primary…
Taxpayers with higher 1040 taxable incomes who are self-employed but are not “specified service businesses” may find it beneficial to structure new businesses, or restructure an existing business, as an S corporation to avoid taxable income limitations that apply to the new 20% Sec. 199A pass-through deduction. To make up for the tax reform’s reduction…
