Time certainly goes by fast. One day you’re interviewing for your first job and the next thing you know you’re a few short years from applying for Social Security. If you’ve planned for your retirement, you’ll likely have a good stash of funds saved. But the unfortunate news is that according to the Insured Retirement Institute, 42 percent of baby boomers have nothing saved for retirement, and even those that have saved don’t have...
Most nonprofit organizations today offer a variety of planned giving options that supporters can take advantage of. If you’re committed to supporting an organization into perpetuity, planned giving provides you with the option to do so. While consulting with your tax or financial advisor is recommended before making any planned giving decisions, it can be helpful to gain some understand about the various options that are available, and which of these options are more likely...
If you’ve spent more than five minutes on a kid’s television network, you’ve seen just how inundated young kids are with commercials for everything from the latest gadget, to some dreadful snack that features something gooey and/or messy. It’s also safe to bet that many of these kids run to their parents, wanting to buy some or all of these items. It’s difficult, if not impossible for younger kids in particular to understand the dynamics...
There are many ways that we support our favorite charitable causes. However, one of the most beneficial ways to support a favorite charity now and into perpetuity is through planned giving. While almost any larger nonprofit organization has an active planned giving program, it may come as a surprise that many smaller nonprofits are also eager to work with their donors on planned giving options. Before you make a commitment, be sure to check with...
Are you an investor looking to diversify your investments, or perhaps you’re a new investor looking for something other than traditional stocks and bonds to invest in. No matter what your situation, investing in art can prove to be lucrative, if you do your research. While novice art investors can be initially intimidated by their lack of knowledge in the field, educating yourself as to the variety of options available will go far in reducing...
If you’re new to investing, some of the information on the Internet can be downright confusing. While investing itself is fairly straightforward, many people find themselves shying away from the entire process because they simply don’t understand the terminology, which can be somewhat overwhelming. So here is a rundown of common investing terms that every investor should become familiar with: Stocks While stocks can seem mysterious, a stock is simply a portion of business ownership...
If you’re a beginning investor, it’s likely you’re concentrating on building your portfolio. But as important as it is to build that portfolio, you should also ensure that it’s diversified. Why is a diversified portfolio so important? There are three key reasons why diversifying is important: A diversified portfolio helps minimize risk. Stocks can be a risky investment at any time, but with a diversified portfolio, you can help minimize the risk by spreading that...
If you’ve only just begun your career and are starting to collect a decent paycheck, the last thing on your mind is probably retirement planning. When you’re in your twenties and thirties, retirement can feel light years away, but it will get here much quicker than you can imagine. And when it does, you’ll want to be prepared. And for those in their 40s and 50s, remember that it’s never too late to start saving...
Managing finances properly is mainly common sense. While we’ve all made financial mistakes, most of those mistakes are easily rectified, particularly when promptly corrected. However, there are some financial decisions that can be much harder to recover from. Here are just a few of them: Spending more than you make. This usually occurs when overusing credit cards. The temptation is there, particularly for those fresh out of college, to use credit cards to pay for...