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Where would the stock market be if Hillary had won?

Trump likes to take credit for the stock market gains during his first year in office but analysts disagree. As James Mackintosh explains in The Wall Street Journal, January 18, 2018“Many of the market-moving changes since the U.S. presidential election would have been just the same. Most important among them: The global economic rebound started before…

Living ‘With the End in Mind’

“Death is the last thing most people want to think about, yet nothing could be more important—especially with advancing age or after a bleak diagnosis—than preparing for the end and understanding how it can happen. These days, such thinking is likely to include learning about palliative care, a specialty that began with the hospice movement…

How to spend just the right amount in retirement

“Retirees tend to gravitate to opposing poles in how they spend their nest eggs, with some too parsimonious and others too carefree. The best course lies somewhere in between, as Steve Vernon explains” in Forbes.The Spend Safely in Retirement Strategy is simple enough that you can implement it on your own.1. optimize your social Security benefits.2.…

Big Roth 401(k) Tax Surprise

Thanks to Kim Blanton writing in the Squared Away Blog for explaining the complexities of taxes on withdrawals from Roth 401(k) plans. “Financial experts and writers often tout the Roth 401(k)’s main selling point: when the money is withdrawn in retirement, it won’t be taxed.Well, that’s not entirely true.An employee’s own money saved in his…

Equifax breach exposes 143 million people to identity theft

Who can you trust? No one… when a major credit bureau’s computers have been breached it’s a really frustrating situation. I discovered that my social security number is among those at risk.  Experian has set up a website where you can check if your personal info was stolen:  https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/. Also, call this phone number 866-447-7559…

Bad Credit? Here is reliable help

U.S. News & World Report created resources to improve financial literacy among consumers with bad credit. Topics include how to monitor credit scores and dispute errors, to the best and worst credit cards and how to evaluate them. U.S. News & World Report’s credit survey and guide can be viewed here: 2017 Survey of Consumers…

How to talk to aging parents about money

When you were a kid, your parents probably talked to you about money, perhaps about the value of a buck or how you might spend your allowance. As time marches on, you may find the situation reversed—and that you have to have the “money talk” with your parents. Adult children sometimes feel concerned that they’re…

Women spend less than half of adult life in marriage- implications for retirement

A study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College found that the average US woman now will spend less than half of her adult life as part of a married couple. This “has significant implications for financial planning,” the study’s authors note. (8/21/17 Retirement Security Smartbrief). Do Women Still Spend Most of Their…