It’s not fun to think about, but if you boil down your choices a bit, making a plan for what could easily cost several thousand per month becomes less daunting. For many retirees, the term “long-term care” is typically associated with a nursing home. As we age, there is a greater chance we will need […]
Unlike working people, retirees have a lot of options to determine how much they’ll pay in taxes. Knowing which income buckets to pull from can mean a difference of thousands on your tax bill. While we all must pay our fair share of taxes, being tax efficient simply means not making simple mistakes that can […]
Filing your return electronically and using direct deposit can speed up the process by weeks. Getty Images By Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor February 27, 2018 QI just filed my income tax return. How soon can I expect to receive my refund? AIt depends on how you filed and how you’re getting your refund. You’ll get […]
The concept of a statute of limitations is easy to understand: a lawsuit has to be commenced within so many years after the complained of act occurred or pursuit of the lawsuit may be forever barred. Where it gets tricky are the exceptions to this rule. For example, if the wrongdoer concealed the wrongful act or the […]
After Connie Henderson’s husband, Eugene, was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition that causes lung problems, a doctor gave the rural Minnesota couple a bit of good news: Medicare’s home health benefit would pay for a nurse to come to their home and administer the weekly plasma infusions that Eugene would need to treat the […]
You’ve got to be careful with what you post online. That goes double when the workplace is involved. By Miriam Cross, Staff Writer February 27, 2018 Posting on social media always requires caution. When it involves your workplace, even more so. SEE ALSO: Make Money from your Social Media Posts Rule number one: No matter […]
Market value: $108.9 billion Dividend yield: 2.0% Just because a company makes military hardware or provides logistics solutions to the Department of Defense doesn’t mean that’s the only thing that company can or should so. Indeed, in that defense-spending can also be cyclical, it’s wise for these outfits to diversify outside of the defense sphere. […]
When stocks take investors on a roller-coaster ride, the urge to do something grows, because you certainly don’t want to miss out. What you should be doing is taking a close look at how much risk you’re taking. Given the current state of the markets, you’re probably wondering if you should be making some changes […]
In Archer v. Moody, the litigants in the declaratory judgment action were remainder beneficiaries of a trust created in 1934 and owned a 15,000-acre ranch near Junction, Texas. No. 14-15-00945-CV, 2017 Tex. App. LEXIS 11642 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] December 14, 2018, no pet. history). The legal dispute focused on how to calculate the fractional […]
Warren Buffett’s reputation as one of the world’s great investors is built not only on years of market-beating returns with his conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, but also on his sharp wit and avuncular, down-to-earth personality. Millions read his annual letters to Berkshire shareholders and tens of thousands of investors flock to the company’s annual shareholder meetings […]
Rising U.S. Treasury yields were widely cited as the spark that ignited early February’s sharp selloff in stocks. But the real damage, in my view, was caused by a handful of arcane exchange-traded funds and other products that let traders place giant wagers on the direction of the CBOE Volatility Index, known by its symbol […]
State Taxes on Social Security: Benefits are not taxed. Sales Tax: State levy is 7%. A reduced rate of 3.5% is charged on in-person sales in designated Urban Enterprise Zones, located in disadvantaged areas. Salem County, which borders no-tax Delaware, also charges the reduced 3.5% rate. Notably, motor vehicles, alcohol and cigarettes are charged at […]
Being a millionaire isn’t a ticket to mansions, yachts and caviar, as it once was, but the goal is more reachable than ever. According to Phoenix Marketing International, a firm that tracks the affluent market, about 5.8% of U.S. households now have investable assets of $1 million or more. That’s only one way to measure […]
Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com/ Although Bitcoin and several other cryptocurrencies have been around for years, it has taken a long while for the ETF industry to get on board. But it’s finally in the game – sort of. The Reality Shares Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF (BLCN, $22.79), […]
Save it or spend it? That’s the question to answer when you find extra money. SEE ALSO: The 3 Spending Stages of Your Retirement Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine headlined its February 2018 issue with great approaches when the figure at hand is $1,000, $10,000 or $100,000. I have some ideas, too. The best opportunity with […]
Retirement savers can use all the help they can get, and in 2018 some of that help comes in the form of higher limits on savings vehicles. Here are the specifics. You’ve been hearing it your entire working career: You need to save money for retirement. SEE ALSO: The 3 Spending Stages of Your Retirement […]
Federal rules allow you to roll over money from an IRA to an HSA once in your life. But you may forfeit a tax break by doing so. Getty Images By Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor February 14, 2018 QHow much money can I roll over from my IRA to a health savings account? Also, are […]
Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com If Bitcoin is at $10,000 today it’s because the fool who bought it for $10,000 is hoping another greater fool will pay $12,000 for it tomorrow. But what do you get for your money? What’s it worth? That’s the problem. I’ve been asked […]
Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com/ I am very bullish on chip equipment maker Applied Materials (AMAT). And I am not alone. Top investors are also piling into the stock, which also has 100% Street support right now. Indeed, in the last three months, no less than 11 analysts […]
Semiretired or part-time workers saving money in an IRA or other retirement plan may qualify for an often-ignored tax credit that will lower their tax bill. QI retired a few years ago, but I still get paid to do some consulting work, so I contribute to a Roth IRA. Can I qualify for the retirement […]
Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com/ Safe places to stash your cash, from money market funds to stable value funds, are yielding more than they have in years. It pays for retirees to look around. You can be forgiven if you have ignored your safe-haven investments for the […]
Action: Added to stake Shares held: 165.3 million (+23.3% from Q3) Value: $28.4 billion Berkshire first added Apple (AAPL, $167.37) to its portfolio in early 2016, and has been adding steadily to it ever since. Last quarter was no exception; Buffett picked up another 31.2 million shares. Apple is now the largest holding in the […]
There are few bigger battleground stocks in the market right now than Overstock.com (OSTK). The stock used to be a sleepy second-tier e-commerce provider, struggling to drive profits amid intense online competition. Between the beginning of 2010 and the beginning of 2017, OSTK rose just 30% total, an annual return of less than 4%. The […]
State Taxes on Social Security: Social Security income is taxable, but a married couple can subtract $4,500 of their federally taxable Social Security benefits from their state income. (The break is $3,500 for single and head of household, $2,250 for married separate filers). Make more than $77,000 of income (for married filers) and the break […]
Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com/ Here’s how three common retirement savings plans for self-employed workers stack up based on contribution limits, costs and more. Whether you’re a full-fledged small-business owner or you just run a business on the side, there are several smart ways to save for retirement […]
Myths about homeownership that could persuade you to buy for the wrong reasons. Each month you send a rent check to your landlord. Meanwhile, every homeowner you know insists that you’re wasting that money. They say that you should buy a home and that owning is a smarter financial move. SEE ALSO: Retirement Planning Mistakes […]
Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com/ Own a business? Save more for retirement. Popular plans for the self-employed include the solo 401(k), the SEP IRA and a SIMPLE IRA. As an employee of a financial-planning firm, Neil Brown follows his own advice and makes the maximum contribution to his […]
The wisdom that comes with experience is worth sharing with your grandchildren, but you have to be smart how you do it. Grandparents have a special relationship with their grandkids and can be a positive influence on their lives and their future finances. As a grandmother to two wonderful grandkids, I realize the impact that […]
Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com/ It might be difficult to top 2017’s performance by closed-end funds. Last year, CEFs — which typically invest in stocks, bonds or a blend of both — returned 12.4% on average, according to data compiled by CEF Insider. Since the average distribution rate […]
Kiplinger’s latest forecast on the direction of energy prices iStockphoto By Jim Patterson, Managing Editor February 21, 2018 Drivers continue to get a bit of relief at the gas pump. The national average price of regular unleaded gasoline is down about three cents from a week ago, to $2.53 per gallon. Prices had been steadily […]
My client, who is single and 64, retired at age 62 but didn’t start taking Social Security then. Instead, she set a goal to start claiming at her full retirement age of 66, to get 100% of the benefit she has coming to her. She is in amazing health. Her dad is 88, and still […]
Depending on how you got into a passive real estate investment, such as a private real estate investment trust or a Delaware Statutory Trust, you may be paying some charges you didn’t realize. And they can add up. Over the past few years, the financial services industry has come under criticism regarding fees charged, hidden […]
A million bucks might not go as far as it once did, but it still gains you entry into an elite club. Only 5.8% of the country, or about 7.2 million households, qualify as actual millionaires. That’s defined as having investable assets of $1 million or more, excluding the value of real estate, employer-sponsored retirement […]
Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com/ The 10-year time limit is expiring for a raft of foreign asset trusts, and those who hold them could benefit in several ways now by redomiciling them to the United States. Do you have a foreign asset protection trust (FAPT)? Has it been […]
Anyone with earned income (meaning income from work rather than investments) can contribute to a traditional IRA, but not everyone who contributes can claim a tax deduction. That’s a no-no for the rich if they’re covered by a retirement plan at work. Here’s how the deduction rules operate for traditional IRAs: First, there’s a limit […]
Quiz By the Editors of Kiplinger’s Retirement ReportFebruary 22, 2018 Getty Images Social Security benefits are a key source of retirement income for most Americans. Yet, many workers planning for retirement—and even some retirees—don’t understand how the federal program works. Take our quiz to better understand the ins and outs of Social Security. The decisions […]
Check out our weekly earnings calendar and read the latest quarterly earnings previews. Below is a weekly earnings calendar of the most important upcoming quarterly reports scheduled to be released by publicly traded companies. There are also earnings previews for select companies. Please check back often. This earnings calendar is updated weekly. EARNINGS CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS […]
Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com/ Bone up on strategies that will get you the maximum Social Security benefits you’ve earned. A big reason experts advise waiting until at least full retirement age to claim Social Security: You get to skip the benefits earnings test, which hits early claimers […]
A woman’s road to retirement has a few extra hurdles. To successfully jump them, they may want to rethink what retirement means in today’s world. By the year 2030, women will control as much as two-thirds of the nation’s wealth, experts estimate. Currently, women control $11.2 trillion (39%) of investable assets in the United States, […]
Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com/ Market value: $155.9 billion Dividend yield: 2.9% PepsiCo (PEP, $108.00) is a global food and beverage company whose well-known brands include the namesake Pepsi-Cola, as well as Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Quaker and Tropicana. After a few years of declines in the top line, PepsiCo […]
Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com/ If your retirement income relies on the stock market, a plunge isn’t just “paper losses” to you. Here’s the income plan my wife and I use that takes the worry out of market volatility. The stock market recently gave us a reminder […]
The dramatic rise in volatility in February and swift 10% correction in stock prices caught many investors flat-footed. After all, the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index went more than a year without a 5% pullback, so it was shocking to see a 10% correction in just nine trading days. Aside from causing stomach-churning drops – […]
Kiplinger’s latest forecast on inflation iStockphoto By David Payne, Staff EconomistFebruary 15, 2018 Inflation is growing, but at a moderate, not runaway, pace. It is normal for inflation to pick up as the economy expands. The strong January report was pushed up by unique factors that are not likely to occur again, such as unusually […]
Quiz By the editors of Kiplinger’s Personal FinanceFebruary 13, 2018 Getty Images There’s been plenty of hubbub about the tax overhaul that took effect in January 2018, but even after all that you’ve read and heard, do you really know how taxes are changing? Test your knowledge of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act with […]
Kiplinger’s latest forecast on retail sales and consumer spending iStockphoto By David Payne, Staff EconomistFebruary 16, 2018 Retail and food-service sales dipped in January, but cold weather could be to blame. The unusually cold temperatures in much of the southeastern United States may have slowed sales of motor vehicles, restaurant meals and building supplies after […]
Market value: $12.1 billion Dividend yield: 2.6% Consecutive annual dividend raises: 15 Up next is toymaker Hasbro (HAS, $97.36), the maker of toys and merchandise covering the Star Wars, Marvel and Transformers franchises, among many, many others. If you are a parent, it’s likely that Hasbro has taken a fair bit of your disposable income […]
Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com/ Their returns typically tend to be less than eye-popping, but when stocks hit the skids, investors may well appreciate their reliability. Remember the cardinal rule of bonds: When interest rates fall, bond prices rise, and when interest rates rise, bond prices fall. As […]
Financial scams often come with some easy-to-spot red flags, but some are trickier. So, before you click on that fun online quiz to see what movie character you’re most like, consider what information you’re giving away. There is no shortage of ways for crooks to try to separate you from your money. All it takes […]
Just like the doomed Beanie Babies investing craze or the dot-com stock bubble of years past, Bitcoin’s time will come. Here’s why. If you invested in the markets circa 1999, it is hard to observe the Bitcoin mania and not experience the feeling that you’ve seen this movie before and know how it will end […]
Source: Kiplinger This article was originally published on Kiplinger – https://www.kiplinger.com/ Artificial intelligence became a reality in millions of American homes during 2017 with the success of Amazon.com’s (AMZN) Alexa, a speaking interface that was the top app downloaded on Android phones and iPhone on Christmas Day. What your PC calls an application and […]
Bitcoin, for better or worse, has been all the rage of late. Its breakneck 1,850% run in 2017 put the cryptocurrency on the map. In…
These funds have no place among everyday investors
Vacation homes are typically treasured by families and often pass down from generation to generation. But there may be more to transferring the family lake…
Amazon.com (AMZN) made a major announcement Jan. 22. After more than a year getting the bugs out, the Seattle e-commerce company opened Amazon Go to the…
Effective as of 1 January 2018, Czech law requires that “ultimate beneficial owners” of companies and trust funds be recorded in a central register, in…
If a substantial portion of one’s net worth is tied up in his or her closely held business, it’s critical to have an exit strategy.…
Tax Act of 2017: Transfer Tax Provisions – The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act of 2017”) was signed by the…
Powers of attorney serve an essential role in estate planning, giving North Carolinians control over who will manage their affairs during periods of lifetime incapacity.…
At the end of last year, North Carolina Session Law 2017-153 (Senate Bill 569) was signed into law. The law adopted the NC Uniform Power…
The number of Americans who prefer renting to home ownership is rapidly rising. According to analysis by Pew Research Center, renter households currently represent nearly…
Green vs. U.S., No. 16-6371 (10th Cir., Jan. 12, 2018) – Practitioners and donors often forget a pesky donation limitation that applies only to irrevocable…
Introduction – When someone is injured by the negligence of another, the injured party often has a legal claim against the at-fault party under North…
The new tax law commonly referred to as the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” (the “Act”) – signed into law on December 22, 2017 –…
It’s almost impossible to fully prepare for a spouse’s sudden death, but it helps to keep one’s finances organized and communicate with a spouse about…
The Green Rush may be upon us. Cannabis investment research firm ArcView estimates that legal North American marijuana sales hit more than $8 billion in…
If you’re feverishly worrying and wondering, then you’ve got a big problem: You aren’t an investor. You’re a gambler. And a bad one at that.…
The new federal tax law allows families to use 529 college plans to pay tuition for kindergarten through high school. But doing so before state…
In This Issue: – Sudden impact: When a spouse unexpectedly dies – New tax law affects estate planning strategies – All in the family: Transferring…
The 2017 tax reform legislation colloquially referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Act) made some significant changes in the taxation of…
Estate planning probably isn’t high on the priority list for many 20-year-olds, even if they are 20-year-olds serving in uniform. While the Armed Forces may…
Starting as young as age 3, your grandchildren could reap a lifetime of rewards from these five basic financial skills.
Passing down to your heirs your intentions for your money is just as important as passing down the money itself. Writing one letter can make…
In Ramirez v. Galvan, a probate court denied the application for probate of a will as a muniment of title where the application was filed…
In the Estate of Rodriguez, a trust beneficiary sued the trustee to enjoin the sale of real property owned by a testamentary trust. No. 04-17-00005-CV,…
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”), signed into law on December 22, 2017, significantly increased the exemption amounts for the federal estate, gift,…
Investors are left feeling antsy after the Dow Jones industrial average tumbled more than 1,000 points on Monday.
With the market primed for success in 2018, I wanted to find stocks that go above and beyond the normal growth prospects. Here I looked…
Stocks with low share prices can be a cost-effective way for small investors to diversify their portfolios. But even after a bumpy few days, the…
Paperwork including a living will and health care power of attorney can convey your treatment preferences if you are ever unable to make medical decisions…
As we ring in the Chinese New Year, take a moment to reflect on what the Year of the Dog might mean for your finances.
I. INTRODUCTION – This outline is a selective and evolving review of the history of the modern federal estate tax. It originated during the attempts…
The past 83 weeks have not only been quite rewarding for investors, they’ve been history-making. The Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index is now into its…
On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) was signed into law, accomplishing the most far-reaching US tax reform in decades.…
Though the new tax law makes sweeping changes to our system, it will have no effect on your 2017 filing—except that this could be your…
Although all signs this morning pointed to a quiet day under the Gold Dome, the halls quickly became abuzz with news of a compromise on…
“What’s your favorite stock?” Many investors, when asked a quick off-the-cuff question like that, may gravitate toward familiar names such as Apple (AAPL) or Facebook…
As earnings season heats up the stock market went on a roller-coaster ride Thursday, with Facebook stock flourishing and DowDuPont stock floundering.
When creating a long-term investment strategy, you need to think about your goals, circumstances, risk tolerance and liquidity needs. But you should also place considerable…
Charles E. Rounds, Jr., “The Uniform Directed Trust Act,” Trusts & Estates, Context, content and critique,” (December 2017), at p. 24 [Vol. 156 No. 12)]…
Broker? CFP? Robo-adviser? Finding the right level of service is key to getting the right help, at the right price. Here’s how to evaluate your…
With the ringing in of the New Year, residents of New Jersey woke up not only to a new federal tax law, but also to…
Healthy fourth-quarter earnings and a strong financial outlook for 2018 from the Dow component lifted the industrial average to solid gains on Wednesday following a…
In this webinar the presenters will discuss tax-savings tools that can be used between now and March 6 when preparing 2017 returns. The presenters will…
Permalink — https://www.kiplinger.com/article/investing/T022-C000-S001-fidelity-msci-industrials-index.html URL of source article. Date — January 31, 2018 6:35 pm Publish date of source article. Source — http://www.kiplinger.com/about/rss/kiplinger.rss URL of RSS feed.
I. INTRODUCTION – This outline is a selective and evolving review of the history of the modern federal estate tax. It originated during the attempts…
Changes to the tax law in 2018 have taken away most people’s ability to deduct charitable contributions. But there are still a few options to…
Certain examples of this type of annuity can help you steer clear of some sky-high fees and scary surrender charges. However, make sure you understand…
Last week, the Florida Supreme Court adopted section 90.5021, Fla. Stat. – Florida’s fiduciary lawyer-client privilege – to the extent it is procedural and held…
More companies have been making the move as administrative costs rise and as pension liabilities become more transparent on corporate balance sheets.
A Superior Court decision last month by Judges Lazarus, Bowes and Ott reminds divorce practitioners that there are distinctions to be drawn between the rights…
Share to email Share to facebook Share to twitter Share to linkedin Share to google Forbes Legal Council Successful chief legal execs & law firm partners share legal insights Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Post written by Matthew Rossetti Matt Rossetti is an entrepreneur, licensed attorney and the founder of Sentient Law, Ltd., […]
With the advent of higher exemptions with respect to the Federal Gift, Estate, and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax passed last December (referred to as the 2017…
In Bradley v. Shaffer, family members placed mineral interests they inherited into the trust. No. 11-15-00247-CV, 2017 Tex. App. LEXIS 11154 (Tex. App.—Eastland November 30,…
This presentation will discuss the potential remedies that plaintiffs can obtain for breach of fiduciary duty claims with an emphasis on trust disputes, and will…
We tell you how much you can contribute to an HSA in the year you sign up for Medicare, plus other ways to coordinate HSAs…
An inheritance shouldn’t come as a big surprise to your beneficiaries. They need to be prepared for the gift, and the taxes and decisions that…
It’s an unfortunate fact of life, but disasters happen. How you prepare for them makes a huge difference. Here’s how to protect yourself from two…
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act suspends miscellaneous itemized deductions (i.e., those deductions subject to a 2% floor) from 2018 through 2025, creating an incentive…
The best tech stocks today have been helping the market hit record highs seemingly every other day. That’s no secret. Less well-known is how technology…
Here at Kiplinger, we believe you can have the best of both worlds: that you can live frugally and live well. To prove that point,…
With Federal and state regulations on greenhouse gases now inevitable, businesses will have to adapt. But with change comes opportunity for many firms.The most obvious…
It may be the biggest worry of retirement: How do you ensure that you don’t run out of cash before you run out of breath?…
We all know the stories of entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, who made it big at a ridiculously early age. But for most…
Parents can now use 529 college savings plans to pay for K-12 private school tuition. That could give grandparents added incentive to be extra generous,…
If you think it’s because retirees should withdraw less than 4% to make their nest eggs last, that’s not quite it. In fact, maybe they…
Real estate investment trusts (REITs), like bonds, are high on the list of income investments the experts think will get hit as the Federal Reserve…
The newly enacted U.S. tax law makes significant changes to provisions of the Internal Revenue Code affecting high net worth individuals, their investment entities and…
PenFed Pathfinder Rewards American Express is a good new option of no-fee travel rewards cards.
As you have likely read, the new year brought significant changes to U.S. tax laws. But did you know that the changes to the federal…
This client alert is part of a special series on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and related changes to the tax code, where Blank…
From new tax rates to changes in saving for your child’s education, here are four things to try to improve your finances in 2018.
Diversification is always a good idea. And one way to do that could be to diversify how you get your advice.
For the first time in more than 30 years, the countdown to the New Year was also the countdown to major revisions to the tax…
Medicare doesn’t include dental coverage, and some retirees don’t realize the costs and complications of paying for oral care.
It can take a while to sort out who’s at fault, but if you file a claim with your insurer, it will ensure you get…
The United States of America is one of the largest wealth creation machines in the history of the world. According to Credit Suisse, American stocks…
My own kids dabble in bitcoin. If you feel compelled to join the crowd, I have three pieces of advice for you.
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