WHY IT IS WISE TO DIVERSIFY A varied portfolio is a hallmark of a savvy investor. You may be amused by the efforts of some of your friends and neighbors as they try to “chase the return” in the stock market. We all seem to know a day trader or two: someone constantly hunting for the next hot stock, endlessly refreshing browser windows for breaking news and tips from assorted gurus. Is that the path to making money in [...]
IRAs & workplace retirement plans have higher contribution limits. The IRS has set annual contribution limits for IRAs, 401(k)s and other retirement plans higher for 2013, and made other important adjustments for inflation as well. Here is an overview of some notable changes just announced. The 2013 IRA contribution limit: $5,500. This is a $500 increase from 2012, and it applies to both Roth and traditional IRAs. The IRA catch-up contribution limit for those 50 and older remains $1,000.1,3 The [...]
THE BIG TAX QUESTIONS OF 2013 How will Congress resolve these issues? Decisions must be made. In the next couple of months, Congress will address several major tax matters. Here are the big questions looming. The Bush-era income tax cuts. Will the current 10%-15%-25%-28%-33%-35% federal tax rate structure give way to 15%-28%-31%-36%-39.6% tax brackets in 2013? After the election, some analysts feel a compromise will be struck to maintain some of the Bush-era cuts for another year. In 2013, you may [...]
Who would you rather emulate? You stand at your window and look across the street. Nice house, you think. Nice landscaping. Nice sports car. Nice driveway. New bikes for the kids. Wow, your neighbors are really well off. If only you had that kind of money. That plain home down the street with the older model sedan parked out front pales in comparison. A couple in their seventies lives there, and the front yard hasn’t been spruced up in a [...]
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR 2013 We are now in plain view of the fiscal cliff. After the election,Congress may or may not end up keeping income and estate tax rates at their recent levels. Next year may bring some notable financial developments, and it isnt too soon for households to think about them. You may want to prioritize tax reduction. If the Bush-era tax cuts sunset, everyone will see higher taxes. The federal income tax brackets (10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, [...]