Student Loans Meet Retirement
by Bondar&Associates The burden of student loans is typically associated with recent college graduates or young professionals, but the number of consumers age 60 and older with student loan debt quadrupled from 2005 to 2015 (see chart). During this period,
Hot Topic: Full Employment: What Happens Now?
by Bondar&Associates In April 2017, the nation’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.4%, matching a 10-year low last seen in May 2007. To put this in perspective, the last time the unemployment rate fell below 4.4% was in May 2001, the
THE HIDDEN COST FOR STAY-AT-HOME AMERICAN PARENTS
Beyond lost wages, moms or dads who don’t return to work forfeit growth in those wages and in retirement and other benefits. The decision around whether to go back to work after having a baby — and pay for childcare
AMERICA’S UPPER MIDDLE CLASS IS THRIVING
The middle class may be feeling squeezed, but the upper middle class is enjoying good times. The upper middle class grew to 29.4% of the population in 2014, up from 12.9% in 1979, according to a new Urban Institute report.
4 WAYS TO TELL IF YOU’RE FINANCIALLY READY FOR RETIREMENT
A recent study put together by Go Banking Rates says Americans are not in a good place when it comes to saving for retirement. Patrick Jones (@Patrick_E_Jones) explains. Buzz60 Do you have enough money to retire? That’s not an easy
SHOULD A FINANCIAL GURU BE DICTATING YOUR MONEY MATTERS?
Financial guru or not, the key thing is to find a method that encourages you to take action towards a more financially stable future. Dave Ramsey, Mary Hunt and Suze Orman are a few of the finance superstars who offer
STABILITY AND LIQUIDITY: MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUNDS
During the late 1990s, money market mutual funds offered an annual return of around 5% (see graph). This made them attractive to investors, including retirees and pre-retirees who wanted to preserve principal while earning a modest return. After an uptick
AMERICANS ARE SAVING MORE THAN SPENDING
It’s a key shift in spending habits that started during the Great Recession. And the trend continues as we head into the holiday shopping season this weekend. The savings rate in the United States rose to 5.6% in October —
YEARLY CONVERTIBLE TERM
Affordability is key. Yearly Convertible Term is temporary life insurance protection at an affordable initial premium. This type of policy is renewable each year, which means you may renew the policy annually (until the expiry age which varies by state)
TAX CONSIDERATIONS IN RETIREMENT.
The amount of tax you owe at retirement depends not only on your income, but also on the type of your retirement plan and the timing of your withdrawals; you’ll want to consider retirement strategies that provide tax-deferred growth and
HOW IRELAND BUILT A CHEESE MOVEMENT
When Irish farmer Eugene Burns started making a posh French-style, smelly cheese in 1983, he decided to do something either very brave or very foolhardy. So convinced was he of the quality of his cheese that he made the decision
UNDERSTANDING RMDS
Tax-deferred plans can be a great way to save money for retirement, but you can’t defer your tax liability forever. Once you reach age 70½, you must begin taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from these plans each year or face
DIVIDENDS AS A GROWTH STRATEGY
Dividends can be a source of current income for retirees and others who want an income stream without selling their underlying investments. For long-term investors, reinvested dividends can be a powerful growth engine. A 2013 study by Standard & Poor’s
SAVE $100S NEXT MONTH WITH THESE 10 GROCERY SHOPPING TIPS
Who says millennials don’t know how to save? See why many of them have better financial habits than their parents. Thrifty shopping may seem like a pain at first, but the savings can really add up. If you’re used to
SMART BUSINESS PEOPLE SEPARATE EGGS TO AVOID A SCRAMBLE
There are so many different ways for people to make money. But you don’t have to choose just one source of income on which to focus. In fact, some of the most successful, wealthy smart business people have made their