The Real Cost of College It may not be what you think. How much will your family end up paying for college? Your household’s income may have less influence than you think – and some private colleges may be cheaper than you assume. Private schools sometimes extend the best aid offers. Yes – it is true that the more money you earn and the more assets you have in a tax-advantaged college savings plan, the harder it becomes to qualify [...]
The Advantages of HSAs Health Savings Accounts offer you tax breaks & more. Why do people open up Health Savings Accounts in conjunction with high-deductible health insurance plans? Well, here are some of the compelling reasons why younger, healthier employees decide to have HSAs. #1: Tax-deductible contributions. These accounts are funded with pre-tax income that is, you receive a current-year tax deduction for the amount of money you put into the plan. Your annual contribution limit to an HSA [...]
Little Things That May Help Your Retirement Saving Over time, these seemingly small factors could make a major difference. Saving for retirement takes decades and demands the investment of significant amounts of your income. As this major effort unfolds, you should recognize that some subtle factors and seemingly minor decisions could end up making a sizable and positive impact on your financial future. Your investment yield may be less important than the amount you save. Beating the S&P 500 feels [...]
The A, B, C, & D of Medicare Breaking down the basics & what each part covers. Whether your 65th birthday is on the horizon or decades away, you should understand the parts of Medicare what they cover, and where they come from. Parts A & B: Original Medicare. Americas national health insurance program for seniors has two components. Part A is hospital insurance. It provides coverage for inpatient stays at medical facilities. It can also help cover the [...]
Building an Emergency Fund Everyone should aim to have a cash reserve. We all would love to have a little extra cash on hand for emergencies. Saving up that cash can be a challenge but with a little effort, that challenge can be met. Imagine a 30-year-old couple with no real savings. Lets call them Kurt and Diana. Together, they earn about $8,000 a month, but their household finances are being squeezed by education debt, rent, and the high [...]