You are getting your financial house in order and want to put your estate documents together. Logically, you set up a meeting with a financial planner or estate attorney. One of the first things you are likely to hear is that you should structure your estate plan to avoid probate court- the formal process by which a deceased person’s property is distributed among their heirs.
Read MoreHave you thought about how a person can make money investing in real estate? How do the pieces come together, really? And what numbers should you consider? There are four ways real estate investing puts money in investors’ pockets: Cash flow, amortization, tax advantage, and appreciation.
Read MoreWithout action, knowledge is relatively useless. So let's talk about taking action when it gets saving for your kids in a 529. How do you choose the right plan? From there, it is up to you to automate the savings and you are on your way. In wrapping up our “Saving for My Kids” series, I want to explore what makes a good 529 savings plan.
Read MoreWe've discussed the advantages of various types of accounts we can use to save for our kids, and organizing our savings to maximize financial aid. Today we dive deeper into saving for higher education through 529 plans and get into exactly how much one might need to save for their kids.
Read MoreBefore saving for your children’s future expenses other priorities should come first. Having an emergency fund (perhaps 6 months of living expenses) and saving for your own retirement (10-20% of income, depending on age, existing savings, and income) are rudimentary. Taking care of your future self financially is a part of taking care of your children.
Read MoreIn the last article we discussed tax planning around providing care for your kids. The next question that often arises is how do I start saving for my children’s future? Education costs continue to significantly outpace inflation and the price of college seems to have doubled since I attended just over a decade ago. But college isn’t the only expense our kids will be facing.
Read MoreEducation costs continue to significantly outpace inflation and the price of college seems to have doubled since I attended just over a decade ago. But college isn’t the only expense our kids will be facing. They’ll get married, they’ll buy homes, and they’ll need a first car. How do we plan for these things now so we can employ tax savings and maximize our money’s buying power?
Read MorePassive investing through index funds has taken the world by storm in the last decade, but what portions of the stock market should we invest in, and why? Maybe it comes as no surprise that certain parts of the stock market, or asset classes, outperform others. In 2013 economist Eugene Fama won a Nobel Prize for his research with Kenneth French for their creation of what became known as the Three Factor Model.
Read MoreAt a dinner party one day I was chatting with a new friend and she mentioned how excited she was to have opened an account at one of the new online automated investment companies. After opening her account she moused through a few sliders, allowing the algorithm to peg her investment time horizon and risk tolerance.
Read MoreI can think of no better way to begin this blog than with a discussion on being smart about being generous. There are few areas that I get as excited to talk about as the tax benefits of giving away equity. If you regularly give cash to a charity, and have appreciated stock in your taxable brokerage accounts, I have an alternative for you to consider.
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