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Financial Planning

5 Ways to Prepare Your Heir to Inherit Your Estate

August 23rd, 2010

You have developed all of your estate plan documents — your will, trust, letter to heirs, living will, and etc.  So now you are all set, right?  Probably wrong, at least if your plan includes keeping the wealth in your family for more than one generation. A key to success in keeping wealth in a
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Five Strategies to Help You Become an Economic Survivor

April 20th, 2010

Figuring out what’s happening in the U.S. economy isn’t always easy. Although many economists believe that the worst elements of the economic recession are behind us, there are many areas, notably employment, that have yet to stabilize. But adopting the right mindset and following a few common-sense rules may help you survive regardless of short-term
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Will You Work Past Your Normal Retirement Age?

April 19th, 2010

Working past normal retirement age is not unusual. According to the Social Security Administration, 28% of individuals between the ages of 70 and 74 reported income from earnings in 2006, the latest year data are available. Among a younger age group, those between 65 and 69, approximately 46% had income from a job. Some remain
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Warning Signs You Need to Fire Your Financial Advisor

April 16th, 2010

You’ve been working with a financial advisor for some time now, but now you’re starting to have doubts that you hired the right person for the job (Hopefully, you did a background check on them first).  Is that financial planner more interested in helping you achieve your financial dream or just trying to sell you something? Too
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Certificate of Deposit (CD) – What is it?

April 9th, 2010

In today’s difficult economy, it is more important than ever to pay attention to the little details of personal finances.  Money kept in a typical savings accounts will earn very little interest, with many banks today paying as little as one tenth of one percent.  A certificate of deposit (CD) is one alternative that pays a
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My Employer Changed 401k Providers, Now What?

March 30th, 2010

Occasionally, I have had people inquire to me about what happens when their company changes 401(k) providers. Usually when such an event occurs, there is a lot of confusion and uncertainty about what is going to happen with their money. To prevent you from making any ill advised decisions, please read more. It Might Not
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Ways To Help Deal With Medical Expenses

March 10th, 2010

Medical expenses are one of the leading causes of bankruptcy proceedings in the US.  In 2007, 57 million people were in families who had problems paying their medical bills according to this article by Peter J. Cunningham.  However, there are ways to cope with the rising costs of medical care.  I was born with Spina
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What Happen To My Pension If My Company Goes Bankrupt?

March 9th, 2010

If you work for a company that has a pension, should you be worried?  What protections do you have? Will all the money you have been paying into your retirement just be gone?  Not too long ago, auto giant General Motors and electronic leader Circuit City filed for bankruptcy leaving many wondering “What happens to their
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Five Things You Don’t Want to Hear From Your Financial Planner

February 26th, 2010

Retirement is just around the corner.  You think you’ve saved enough; but with the recent market drop, you are just not sure. Your retirement accounts have taken drastic blows and now you’re in doubt if you will ever retire. You decide it’s time to sit down with a Certified Financial PlannerTM to see if you
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What are Deferred Compensation Plans?

February 22nd, 2010

In recent years, the use of Deferred Compensation Plans has grown considerably. This is largely due to the current job market — employers are looking for new ways to appeal to and retain skilled employees. Looking at new ways to approach employee benefits is one way to work toward accomplishing that.  Make sure you read
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Investing Term of the Day
In the context of a futures trading account, it is the value of the securities in the account, assuming that the account is liquidated at the going price. In the context of a brokerage account, it is the net value of the account, i.e. the value of securities in the account less any margin requirements.