Wishes for sharing, safekeeping
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. […]
Financial Planning
A testament to update before you’re late
By Joel Dresang
Common wisdom and my family’s experiences suggest you want an estate plan to ease survival much for loved ones. […]
Year-end peek ahead at taxes
With widespread changes in federal income taxes in 2018, investors should consider what to expect when they file their tax returns. Dave Sandstrom explains in a MONEY TALK VIDEO. […]
Where I’ve been since the financial crisis
By Joel Dresang
Ten years later, I don’t remember feeling desperate. But in a recent survey, 79% of Americans said they suffered setbacks from the financial crisis: 55% said that 10 years later, their finances still have not recovered. Looking back, I notice several factors that cushioned my family and me from the crisis. […]
ABLE to save more for special needs
In a MONEY TALK VIDEO, Lisa Lewitzke explains updates to a savings plan for individuals with special needs. […]
Where to retire: A flight of fancy
By Joel Dresang
Of course, affordability is key. As we get closer to retirement, Mary and I will have to compare what we currently spend on housing with how much we can manage on a retirement budget. Then we can determine how many places we’ll have, whether we’ll own or rent and where we’ll call home. […]
Retiring debt in time for retirement
Dave Sandstrom explains why investors should consider how the costs of debt weigh into their retirement plans. […]
Bigger bang from charitable distributions
Tax law changes have increased the potential benefit from being charitable with retirement accounts. Art Rothschild explains in a MONEY TALK VIDEO. […]
Inevitable as taxes, yet rarely planned for
By Joel Dresang
Two of my brothers died in the last year. Neither gave the family much direction about what to do afterward.
Of all the significant life events we can plan for, our afterlife is most often left untended. We put it off, and we put it on our bereaved survivors to try to guess what to do with our body and how to mark our passing. […]
Keeping family in the financial loop
Isabelle Wiemero explains in a MONEY TALK VIDEO why investors need to include trusted contacts in their financial information. […]
Work longer to fatten Social Security
A report from the National Bureau of Economic Research suggests some Americans could benefit as much from working just a little bit longer than from increasing their retirement saving rate by 1%. Lisa Lewitzke explains how that could be and what it means to retirement planning in a MONEY TALK VIDEO. […]
Trying to transition off a treadmill
By Joel Dresang
Many retirees would rather be working. But at the same time that more employers are complaining about a lack of job applicants, they’re serving sheet cake for older employees who have cleared out their desks to head for home. Under the right circumstances, older workers can negotiate mutually beneficial work-to-retirement transitions. […]