With college costs rising year after year, parents and students alike wonder how they can pay for a college education. In this first of a three-part series, I’ll explore how you can access free money for college expenses. Many people do not realize just how much money is available through scholarships and grants. Did […]
Paying For College-Part I
A Stressed Economy Yields Opportunity-Part I
To say the least, it has been a bazaar year from an economic and financial perspective. The Federal Reserve, Treasury Department, and Congress have collectively allowed us to poke our heads under their tents and see what they see…and it’s not pretty. Fear of a deep recession or even worse, a 1929 style depression mobilized […]
Avoid These Retirement Planning Mistakes
The leading edge of the eighty million-plus Baby Boomers is just entering retirement. Considering leaving your full-time job for the leisure of retirement can be a sobering thought as you realize that you’ll no longer have the security of a steady paycheck. When planning your retirement, avoid these common mistakes: Being too conservative […]
10 Best Uses for Your Tax Refund
It’s just two days until your 2007 income tax return is due. I hope you’ll have the pleasant surprise in the form of a refund instead of a tax bill. Add your tax refund to the tax rebate you’ll receive in May (February 17 column) and it’s likely to be a tidy sum. Have you […]
Does a Non-Deductible IRA Make Sense?
This is the last week before the April 15th deadline for contributing to an IRA account for calendar year 2007. Last week, I discussed how to choose between a deductible Traditional IRA and a Roth IRA. If you missed the article, go to www.welchgroup.com and click on ‘In The News’, then click on ‘Stewart’s Weekly […]
What’s Best: Roth or Traditional IRA?
With the April 15th deadline looming, you have a decision to make. Should you invest in a Traditional IRA or would you be better off investing in a Roth IRA? Remember that your investment in either must be postmarked no later than April 15, 2008 for a 2007 contribution. In making your decision, let’s look […]
Doom & Gloom…What’s Next?
The government-engineered bailout of Bear Stearns this past week underscores how concerned our government is about the fragility of our financial markets and the economy. This is the first time since the Depression that our government has stepped up to rescue an individual company in such a dramatic way. The origin of the present crisis […]
Don’t Become a Victim of Identity Theft
Within the past six months two clients have become victims of identity theft. Thieves have become particularly adept at cybercrime…using the internet to steal your money. In one case our client received an internet message complete with perfect bank logo and a message indicating there had been some possible illegal activity in his account. The […]
Retirement Crisis in America
The worker saving rate for retirement is less than 20% of what is needed to meet retirement goals. Couple this with a Social Security system that is expected to be bankrupt in 2040 and we are truly facing a retirement crisis of mega proportions. Not only are millions headed for a dreary and stressful retirement, […]
Do You Really Want To Be A Trustee?
Last week I discussed potential issues for people who act as an executor of the estate of a deceased family member or friend. Whereas an executor’s role may last six to twenty-four months, trustees often have the job for decades. It can be a mammoth responsibility requiring many hours of dedicated service as well as […]