In a previously recorded Money Talk Podcast, Bob Landaas leads a discussion about wise ways to be charitable. […]

By Joel Dresang
The point of talking about the long term is to prompt us to plan, allocate and adjust so that we don’t outlive our resources. Whether we want to consume as much as we can while we’re able or to leave a legacy to our heirs, we don’t want to run out of money before we run out of time. Of course, how much time we have is both unknown and peculiar. […]

In a MONEY TALK VIDEO, Dave Sandstrom highlights recent federal tax developments and possible consequences for investors. […]

By Joel Dresang
The death of Money is another reminder of the tougher time individuals have at discerning how best to conduct their financial lives. […]

By Joel Dresang
Vacations seem a bigger deal now, with bigger bills. They can upset the spending plans of retirees. They can divert workers’ earnings from retirement savings. They can contribute to family debts. […]

By Joel Dresang
Only about 1 in 15 Americans has an online Social Security account and checks their benefits estimates once a year. I happen to be one of those few. Not only do I plan on Social Security being there for my wife and me when we retire, but I’m getting an idea of how much to expect and how that fits in with the rest of our plans. […]

By Joel Dresang
My wife and I have provided our daughters with limited financial assistance in college. That’s because a) We want our children to have some skin in the game, and b) We’ve needed to save for our retirement. College has presented a serious lesson in what we have hoped to instill in our children about personal finances: You have more opportunities than you have resources, so you must sort out your priorities and plan accordingly. […]

By Joel Dresang
I don’t want to leave a lot of connections dangling after I’m gone. My legacy shouldn’t include loose ends. […]

By Joel Dresang
A former co-worker informed me of a gathering at a bar for our old boss, who’s taking a company buyout. That got me thinking about retirement gifts.
As more of my cohort reach retirement age, I wonder how to send them off. How will our retirements be different from those of our parents or older siblings? […]

By Joel Dresang
As investors, we’re always hearing about buying low and selling high, not putting all our eggs in one basket, making a plan and sticking to it. Apparently, there’s something to be said too for the warning, “Don’t look down,” which individuals are advised when they find themselves atop a lofty perch and an unfamiliar perspective could panic them into a costly misstep. […]

By Joel Dresang
I’m waiting my turn to purchase Forever stamps. First-Class postage for a 1-ounce letter rises to 55 cents per stamp beginning Jan. 27, a price increase of a nickel apiece or 10%. Then I consider the value of the stamps and how value often is an overlooked part of investing. […]

By Joel Dresang
One of the lessons I learned from my brother who died unexpectedly in March was to do what we can to ease the hassles of our survivors. […]