It’s, that time of the year is here. I love new beginnings, but I sure don’t love dwelling on last year’s mess. Unfortunately, this time of year we all must sort through last year’s transactions so that we can render taxes unto Caesar (also known as Uncle Sam). Here are some tips for organizing your […]
Preparing for Tax Time Read More »
The Help Wanted sign has practically disappeared for today’s teens. Too many young job seekers are likely to spend the summer on social media or watching TV instead of scooping ice cream or serving pizza. Some experts also blame higher minimum wage laws for squeezing out entry-level workers. Teens face competition from laid-off adults, seniors,
Help Wanted for Teens: How to Work the Job Market Read More »
Who had a prenup when they married, Britney Spears or Paul McCartney? Score one if you chose the blonde bubblehead over the savvy billionaire Brit. Paul McCartney lost $50 million to his ex-wife Heather Mills in their March 2008 divorce court battle. But Britney’s preplanning paid off: she paid just $300,000 to shed Kevin, leaving
Prenups Aren’t Just for the Rich and Famous Read More »
The best thing you can do is start saving for college while your kids are in diapers. But it’s never too late to begin. Even if you don’t implement your strategy until your kids are in high school, you can make great strides toward meeting your savings goals. Here’s how to get started. Start a
It’s Never Too Late to Get Started Saving for College Read More »
Do you dream of having your own business? More and more women each year discover the excitement of being self-employed. If it sounds good to you, the prospects have never been better or the resources greater to help you get started. Enterprising women across America are building businesses that now employ 7.8 million people and
Are You an Enterprising Woman? Read More »
Women! Hear us! We know you don’t need anything else to worry about, what with working, caring for children, and being the only one who replaces the toilet paper roll when it’s empty. But there is a crisis in long-term care coming to America that will affect you and your family profoundly. According to US
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If you start your tax planning early you’ll have plenty of time to work on strategies to lower your tax “bite” for the coming year. Review your investments If you have taxable income from investments, consider investments that are tax-deferred (retirement plans and deferred annuities) or tax-free (municipal bonds, Roth IRAs, 529 education plans). Match
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Wouldn’t you think that Congress had fiddled enough with the tax laws? Not hardly, it seems. Each year they find some new tax lever to pull that will “improve the economy” and 2003 was no exception. No matter whether you think the changes to the tax law are right or wrong, you can’t afford to
Tax Changes That Affect You Read More »
In the wake of the excitement from the “biggest tax reduction in 20 years”, we taxpayers are left with the daunting task of figuring out exactly what was reduced. Take the estate tax “repeal” promised by President Bush—please. From all of the hype, you might think that the estate tax is being slowly phased out
Estate Planning is Dead! Long Live Estate Planning! Read More »
Your e-mails tell me time and again that one of the most daunting tasks you face is picking mutual funds and monitoring their progress. I’m so busy, you say – how can I make this task easier and less overwhelming? People often take a hodgepodge approach to their investments – even those who read the
Picking The Right Mutual Fund Read More »
We have now reached a milestone – the Dow Jones Industrial Average has reached 13,000, and prosperity continues. But economic indicators are mixed, and eventually the economy will slide into recession. Here’s how future economic developments may affect you. Q: If we have a recession, does it mean the stock market boom is over for
Will the Bull Market End? Read More »
To Roth or not to Roth, that is the question. At least, that is the question on many people’s minds this year. Beginning in 2010, Uncle Sam lifted the income limits on Roth IRA conversions. Here are the answers to some of the questions you’ve been asking about the Roth IRAs. Why are Roth IRAs
To Roth Or Not To Roth Read More »
When our daughter Carrie was in high school, she worked at Starbucks after school and on weekends. She saved half of her paycheck for future college expenses and spent the rest on current teenage “necessities” such as MP3 players, shoes and fashion. If you asked Carrie, she was practically self-supporting. She loved the independence, and
The Cost of Raising a Child Read More »
Foreclosure proceedings threatened over two million Americans last year, and almost 900,000 homes were repossessed in 2008. If you are having trouble paying your mortgage, here are seven options to consider, courtesy of Bills.com. 1. Determine if you Qualify for Hope for Homeowners HUD’s Hope for Homeowners program may be able to help you refinance
Mortgage Troubles: Options to consider Read More »
Hey, tax procrastinators! With just a short white left until taxes are due, take a deep breath, read this article, and then get to work! 1. Don’t Rush Just because you are filing at the last minute, don’t get flustered and overlook deductions. Take time to review last year’s activity to be sure you claim
Ten Last Minute Tax Tips That Can Help You Save Even More! Read More »
Today’s women are no longer the weaker sex financially. Recent census figures show an unprecedented societal and economic shift. About 27 percent of married households identify the woman as the head of household, earning a greater income than her husband. The number of women earning $100,000 or more has quadrupled in the last decade. Women
Overcoming “Bag Lady” Anxieties Read More »
By Virginia Hodge “The Dow reaches new Highs!” blares the television. But what is the Dow? Way back in 1880 a newspaper reporter named Charles Dow began writing for the New York Mail and Express. Later he and Edward Jones formed the Dow Jones News Company, the predecessor to Wall Street Journal. Jones was the
The Dow Jones Industrials Read More »
A WIFE for Women by Eilene Zimmerman San Diego Magazine, March 2003 This article is also available in PDF format A local nonprofit aims to teach females how to take financial control of their lives after major life transitions — like divorce IN THE SPACE OF ONE MONTH IN 1988, five women visited the office
