My wife and I just returned from a short vacation to a local casino. We went there to see our favorite comedian and decided to make an overnight trip out of it. This included hitting the casino floor to test our luck. We had a great time and surprisingly won back almost all the money we started with. More than once I heard skeptics compare investing to gambling. “What’s the point? I might lose all my hard-earned money!” Yes, it is true that you could put all your money on one stock and lose it all. But that would also be a ridiculous and non-advised investment strategy. Taking a more common approach and investing in an index fund would have quite different odds. You see gambling is much different than investing in many ways: • … [Read more...] about Gambling at the Casino – Still Not Really Investing
Personal Finance
Props to Chase Freedom’s Fraud Protection Service
I was almost the victim of identify theft. On the evening of Dec 23, I received a call from the Chase Freedom Visa Card Fraud Protection alerting me that someone had tried to buy almost $500 worth of goods from a Macy’s in California. Because I live in Michigan, the purchase was quickly red-flagged and denied. Fortunately, I was spared. The phone call with Chase was quick and painless. They asked me which transactions I’d like to dispute, closed my old account, and told me I’d have a new card with a new number within a matter of days. … [Read more...] about Props to Chase Freedom’s Fraud Protection Service
10 Tips for Saving More Money
Saving money can be a real challenge. You know you should, but some months it feels like you’re barely making ends meet. And no matter how much you actually make, it never feels like enough. Fortunately, there are some painless steps you can take to get your savings back on track. Below are a few of my favorite tips for ways you can save more money: … [Read more...] about 10 Tips for Saving More Money
Retire Early Using a 72(t)
If you’re doing a good job of saving up for retirement and looking at the possibility of meeting your goals sooner than later, one of the next biggest hurdles you’ll have to overcome is how to physically get your money out of your retirement accounts. For most personal accounts such as a 401(k), 403(b), or IRA, you have to wait until age 59-1/2 or get slapped with a hefty 10% penalty fee. There are special exceptions to the 401(k) and 403(b) that may allow you to access your money without penalty by age 55. But even still, what if you are able to retire even sooner than that? Fortunately, this is where a 72(t) comes in. A 72(t) is a little-known tax code within the IRS laws that allows an individual under the age of 59-1/2 to take … [Read more...] about Retire Early Using a 72(t)
Year-End Financial Checklist
The end is near! The end of the year that is … And with that, December is a good time to get you finances in order and get ready to settle with the tax man. Here are some tips to get yourself ready for another year: Set Your Budget for Next Year: Remember, a budget is simple: • Money In – Money Out > 0 = Success. The best way to do this is to create a table with 12 columns; one for each month. Start by listing your income towards the top. Then list all your bills and expenses. This strategy is usually a little more effective than just doing one generic monthly budget because it captures expenses that don’t occur every month or are seasonal (like Christmas expenses). This also lets you see how you’re doing throughout the entire year … [Read more...] about Year-End Financial Checklist
Retirement Income Planning and How Your Needs Will Change
Do you think it’s possible to save too much for retirement? That was the headline in an article from Yahoo Finance that seemed to think that you might. In it, the author was pointing the finger at the popular “80% rule” that suggests that retirement income planning is as simple as just estimating 80% of your gross (pre-tax) income. Their criticism was that some academics think this commonly accepted retirement income planning tool may inadvertently cause some people to save for far more than they need. Consequently, this would cause those people to short-change themselves in the present. … [Read more...] about Retirement Income Planning and How Your Needs Will Change
What Should Be in Your Safety Net?
You don’t think twice to lock your doors, look both ways before crossing the street, or turn off your electronics when you’re not home. So why is it that so many of us are one disaster away from a financial catastrophe? That’s where a “Safety Net” comes in. By definition, a safety net is a term used by financial planners to describe a number of different things you should have to protect your family and your finances. But a safety net should be much more than just a few extra thousand bucks you’ve got saved in case aliens take over the world. A TRUE safety net could encompass a whole lot more. Here are a few ingredients you’ll need in your Safety Net. … [Read more...] about What Should Be in Your Safety Net?
Will You Have to Work Until Age 80?
How long do you plan to work? In a very depressing recent article on CNN Money entitled “Delaying Retirement: 80 is the New 65”, it was reported that at least a quarter (1 in 4) of middle class Americans are failing to prepare for their retirements and will likely work until the age of 80. Keep in mind that the average life expectancy of a person is only 78. Here are some more sad facts that were quoted: • The respondents (ages 20 to 80) had a median savings of $25,000. However, their median retirement savings goal was $350,000. • 30% of people in their 60’s had saved less than $25,000 for retirement. • Three-fourths of middle-class Americans expect to work throughout retirement (Remember: If you work through retirement because you … [Read more...] about Will You Have to Work Until Age 80?
