Commuting to work has generally been considered a necessary evil. You have to get to the office somehow, and time spent in your car, on the train, taking the bus, or using whatever transportation you use has long been something workers have had to put up with. The average worker spends 26 minutes commuting according […]
If you’re saving in an IRA, you’re already doing your part to secure a financially sound retirement. And if you’re retired with an IRA, you no doubt know what a critical role that account plays in helping you manage your finances. That said, there are steps you can take to help ensure that your IRA […]
WHILE EVERYONE KNOWS it’s important to save for retirement, not everyone heeds that well-worn advice. Data suggests that many Americans have saved little or nothing for their golden years. In fact, Northwestern Mutual’s 2018 Planning & Progress Study, which surveyed 2,003 adults, found that 21 percent of Americans have saved nothing for retirement, and one-third […]
RETIREMENT SAVERS CAN reduce their 2018 income tax bill by contributing to a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Retirees can also decrease their income tax due if they are willing to donate part of their IRA required distribution to charity. Here’s how traditional retirement accounts can be used to control how much income tax […]
Investing is one of the best ways to increase your wealth, but there are a lot of misconceptions about it that keep people from giving it a chance. One of these is that investing takes a lot of time, which many in today’s fast-paced society can’t spare. While becoming an active trader does require a […]
Anyone who has ever taken out a loan knows the critical role that credit scores play. But if you haven’t had time to build up a strong score or have not utilized much credit in the past, you may be locked out of the market when it comes time to borrow. If so, there’s good […]
As baby boomers steadily advance into retirement, how are they doing in terms of saving for it compared to previous generations of retirees? In a phrase, not so well. Boomers have accumulated less household wealth and carry more debt relative to those who’ve come before them, according to the Sightlines report recently released by the Stanford Center […]
If you’ve been looking to make the math work on an early retirement, you just might get your wish. Drugmaker Pfizer recently announced a buyout offer for long-time employees, and experts say this could just be the start. This year, 300 positions have been voluntarily eliminated by U.S. employers. While that’s down considerably from the […]
More Americans appear to be spending beyond their means. And as one Reddit user discovered, living that way for too long can make it difficult to get back on track. The Redditor, who goes by vitreous_luster, posted to the personal finance subreddit seeking help creating a budget for the first time. After working through his […]
Creating an estate plan is a gift to the people you leave behind. By expressing your wishes, you’re trying to guide your loved ones at a difficult, emotional time. All too often, though, well-meaning people do things destined to create discord, rancor and resentment among their heirs. What looks good on paper may play out […]
Trying to cover holiday expenses, save a little extra or maybe just spend less time with the family? Enter: the seasonal side gig. Retailers are expected to hire as many as 650,000 workers to meet holiday demand this November and December, and wages are expected to top $15 per hour, a 32% increase over last […]
If asking for a raise were easy, perhaps more workers would step up and do it. But getting in front of your boss and requesting a salary boost means subjecting yourself to a potentially awkward conversation, and one that might damage your relationship in the event it goes poorly. Still, it’s worth putting yourself out […]
