Right now, it's about 9:30 in the morning of Christmas Eve. But in parts of Australia and New Zealand, Santa has already come down the chimney and is on his way back to the North Pole. (Does he have a distribution center at the South Pole?) So, just as an early glass of Scotch causes …
Tag: financial planner
The Unlikely Secret to a Happy Retirement
My Comments: Who knew? If I'd known this before, would I have planned any differently? Maybe. By Dan Kadlec Dec. 12, 2013 With a savings crisis so deep that more than half of American adults are unsure they could scrape together $2,000 within a month for an emergency, it may seem tone deaf to worry …
24 Social Security Facts You Need to Know
My Comments: Recently, I have developed an “expertise” in Social Security matters. I wish I'd had this knowledge when I reached what is known in the system as Full Retirement Age or FRA. For me, this was when I was 65 and 8 months old. I signed up and I’ve been getting checks every month …
9 Tax Breaks Expiring at Year’s End
I’m sure you agree that we live in a world of political correctness. Sometimes that’s a good thing and many times it just gets in the way of common sense. Right now, I have to tell you I am NOT licensed or qualified to dispense tax advice. But as a financial planner, for which I …
3 Approaches to Long-Term Care
My Comments: Yestersday my post declared that the cost of what we call Long Term Care will go up for women in 2014. This is because there are more and more people reaching the age where bad things start to happen. The law of supply and demand says that when the demand increases, more people …
6 Things About Social Security You Should Know
The idea of simply signing up for Social Security checks once you reach at 62 used to be a good idea. Not anymore. For each of us, there are 92 possible months to sign up. How do you know which one is best. And once you sign up, there is no turning back. I’ve recently …
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A Higher Minimum Wage is the Tonic America Needs
My Thoughts: Employment numbers are higher than normal, though coming down slowly, and the argument made by those who oppose this idea is that it will cause more unemployment. Some marginal workers will lose their jobs, but the ability of those who do not and instead receive higher wages will spur consumption. That will have …
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Workplace Safety, 1926
My Comments: Amid all the discussion about whether to raise the minimum wage, or whether it’s in our best interest for ALL of us to have health insurance, and how to keep the Social Security system solvent for the next generation or two, it’s easy to forget how it was before all that happened. I …
10 Tax Law Changes You Need to Know About
My Thoughts: Having the IRS look closely at you is not something you are likely to enjoy. But the good news is there are fewer agents than before and unless your “mistake” is grievous, you are likely to be overlooked. But you can’t count on it. With computer technology advancing by the minute, it will …
What went wrong with HealthCare.gov – and what now
My Thoughts: Here we are, it’s December 2, and the President has assured us the website issues are fixed. I doubt they are; there were too many issues to get fixed. But they will get fixed since the PPACA is here to stay, and all the paranoia and hysterics will fade over time and we’ll …
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Helping Define Your Financial Future 