Category: 403(b)s

  • Which Investment Account is Right For Me?

    It can be daunting to plan out retirement when there is a seemingly endless number of rules, components, and factors to consider. Because of the complexity of it all, so many put off investing until much later in life, when the greatest potential for long term growth has already passed. As it is important to…

  • Don’t Miss this Investing Tax Credit!

    The Saver’s Credit: almost a well-kept secret? It’s becoming increasingly difficult for low to middle-income families to save; however, the IRS allows a Saver’s Credit that could mean a $2,000 tax credit per family. Of course, it depends on the tax filer’s status as well as their adjusted gross income, or AGI.  The tax benefit…

  • 5 Basic Tips for Creating a Solid Retirement Plan

    We all know what the retirement picture is supposed to look like.  We spend our whole life working toward that magical retirement age when your golden years begin–the hobbies, the travel, spending time with your grandchildren.  However, with a rocky economy and volatility in the markets your picture might not be so clear. Consider these…

  • What are the Hidden Fees associated with Annuities?

    It’s not that there’s anything wrong with an investor paying fees for certain investments in their portfolio, but when it comes to annuities the key is ‘transparency,’ notes the WSJ’s article on getting to the bottom of hidden annuity fees. What are some of the fees carried by a popular annuity choice among investors, namely…

  • Do You Qualify for this Investing Tax Credit?

    The Saver’s Credit: almost a well-kept secret? It’s becoming increasingly difficult for low to middle-income families to save; however, the IRS allows a Saver’s Credit that could mean a $1,000 tax credit. Of course, it depends on the tax filer’s status as well as their adjusted gross income, or AGI.  The tax benefit is to…

  • Tax Time IRA Answers

    Let’s take down the age old question of “Should I invest in a Roth IRA or a Traditional IRA?”   Before I jump into this, you must know that neither one is a bad choice, and it all depends on your situation and goals.  Both accounts are considered “Qualified Accounts”, meaning they have tax advantages over…

  • Market Timing: The Myth

    So what is market timing and are you losing returns because your money manager is doing it?  Or even worse, have you been caught doing it all on your own. According to Investopedia, market timing is “The act of attempting to predict the future direction of the market, typically through the use of technical indicators…

  • Retirement Planning Basics: Investment Accounts

    Planning your investments to build a retirement fund can be a dizzying prospect. The various questions and options and details and accounts and amounts are enough to make anyone’s head spin. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a generic recipe for success? A nice neat list of step by step instructions on how to…

  • Elections Impact on the Market

    Now that the election is over, investors are wondering what the future has in store for their portfolios. The reality is that while elections may have short term impacts on the markets, over the long run, the impact is minimal. A Free Market System is based on capitalism, which always finds a way to thrive.…

  • IRAs/401(k)s/403(b)s

    Could An IRA, 401(k), Or Any Other Qualified Plan Be Your Only Retirement Savings Solution? Absolutely not, here is the problem… The money in your IRA/401(k) or other qualified plans is not all yours!  As much as 40% of it (maybe more) belongs to the government because your invested money is ONLY tax-DEFERRED, not tax-EXEMPT. …