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I often run into people who realize how important it is to start saving for retirement, but have yet to start. Whether it's their company's 401k, the hospital/school district's 403b or just an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), they know it's available but just haven't started using it. Here ar...

I doubt very much that upon entering your first job, the thought of retirement was anywhere close to the front of your mind. I know it wasn't in mine. Not with said job, rent, student loans, car insurance, groceries, all the rest staring me in the face. I remember being handed a sheet of paper about...

We've had a heck of a run in the stock market these last six months. We have steadily drifted higher without any significant interruption. Everywhere I would go, friends or family members would say "How 'bout that market? It's really on fire!" While I was glad to see this enthusiasm, and happy to kn...

Talk to your children about money! I see articles on this all the time - tell your kids to start early and save often. Don't get me wrong, this is great advice. Instead of just talking about money with your kids, here's a way to actively demonstrate the benefits of saving early - one that will stay...

With the rapid rise in college tuition and an ever more competitive job market, student loan debt has ballooned to nearly $1 trillion. These loans, however, are not loans in the traditional sense. It is almost impossible to refinance them, and unlike a typical loan, you cannot shed this debt through...

"Safe" is not a lightly used term when it comes to investing. It's a four-letter word indicating the absence of risk - something commonly associated with owning individual stocks. Bonds on the other hand, are often thought to be "safe," and the same is often associated with mutual funds that hold bo...

US companies are sitting on record levels of cash. Many are choosing to use this surplus to unlock value to shareholders by raising dividends and authorizing stock buybacks. The dividend payout ratio, which is the percentage of earnings returned to shareholders, for the S&P 500 is at the highest lev...

The loss of a spouse is a very trying time. Grieving the loss of your loved one, handling funeral arrangements and saying goodbye can seem overwhelming. Unfortunately, dealing with your spouse's IRAs and investment accounts can be challenging as well. While there are several ways to handle IRAs f...

Being the executor for someone's estate can be a daunting task. I teach a class on this subject a few times a year for a local continuing ed program. One thing I run into every time is this: An executor finds old stock certificates in desk drawers and $20 bills hidden in the pages of books while cle...

Good news! 401(k) balances are at their highest levels ever, according to news. The average person's balance is now over $80,000, an increase of 75% since 2009, thanks in large part to the stock market rally that started in 2009 and has continued to this day. 401(k) plans can often seem like one...