To sustain the creative process, you need balance, in artistry, and in business. The American dream is shifting. What was once a benefits package and early retirement has now become gigging and freedom. Creative types around the world rejoiced when the internet opened up a $715 billion dollar marketplace of freelance work ripe and ready [...]
Dear Valued Investor, Donald Trump has completed his landmark quest and will become the nation's 45th President after a contentious and often divisive campaign. In addition, the Republican Party has retained control of both houses of Congress. This outcome marks a significant reversal from just a few weeks ago when a Hillary Clinton presidency was highly [...]
It’s a good idea to have a budget, even if it’s an informal one. Some of us do pretty well with the fixed-cost part of the budget. Fixed costs are those that stay the same each month, like your rent or mortgage payment, cable package, gym membership, cell phone bill, car payment, the dating service [...]
On October 27, 2016, the Internal Revenue Service announced 401k contribution limit and cost-of-living adjustments affecting dollar limitations and compensation thresholds for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2017. 401k Contibution Limit Increases and Changes The Highlights of Limitations that Changed from 2016 to 2017 For single taxpayers covered by a [...]
Have you ever opened your cell phone bill and thought, “Wow, that was cheap?” Yeah, didn’t think so. But take heart: It’s possible to lower your charges before your next billing cycle. Simple tweaks, such as updating your service address and changing or removing your insurance package can make small dents in your bill — and those [...]
Welcome news: As of 2016, if you die with less than $5.45 million in assets — or $10.9 million if you’re married — your estate won’t owe federal estate tax. Surprised? Most people are. As a financial planner, I come across many people who list avoiding estate tax as a top priority in their financial [...]
A new IRS program set to take effect next spring may make it harder to tell which of those dubious phone calls many people get about outstanding tax bills are actually fake. The agency announced this week that it’s hired four private debt-collection firms to search America’s couch cushions for overdue federal taxes: ConServe, based [...]
Shutterstock photo Our national parks are one of America’s greatest resources. If you live in a city or suburb, America can feel small and crowded, but stepping into a national park will change your perspective. Wide-open, clean spaces filled with exotic flora and fauna, all waiting to be explored. These parks are public [...]
Martin Barraud | Getty Images As rate hikes increase, older Americans weigh dropping policies. Eileen Cheng, 70, is holding on to the long term care insurance policy she purchased 15 years ago, even with an expected rate increase. "If you're buying it at 60, you may need it when you're almost 80," she [...]
More than 25 percent of all Americans have no savings to speak of, let alone a retirement nest egg. But for those without an employer plan, like a 401(k), that number is much, much larger. About 70 percent of so-called 1099 workers, including freelancers and contractors, said they have no long-term savings at all, according [...]
