Our Weekend Word

401(k) Auto Boot

  The laundry list of rules governing 401(k) plans has ballooned in recent years all in the name of simplifying plans for their participants. Funny how that works.

How to Ensure That You’re Financially Prepared for an Emergency

Natural disasters, man-made disasters, and business disruptions have at least one thing in common: time is never on your side when you’re reacting. Remember Murphy’s law: anything that can go wrong will go wrong. During a crisis, you’re lucky if you have a few seconds to take a breath and react, so it’s critical to consider your financial readiness. As the Roman philosopher Seneca said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

Everything You Need to Know About Trusts

You may have heard the term discussed in financial advising or estate planning conversations, but what exactly is a trust?

Leaving a Legacy

There are a few things to always keep in mind when you are looking to the future, and one is what is the legacy you leave behind? It is a good idea to update your beneficiaries any time you have a major life event change or once a year to stay on top of your accounts. Make sure your beneficiaries are updated with your bank accounts and your financial investment accounts. 

Answering Your Questions About the Fitch Downgrade

On August 1, Fitch Ratings—one of the top three international credit rating agencies—downgraded its credit rating for the U.S. government from AAA to AA+, and although this may seem like bad news for U.S. markets, this isn’t likely to have a long-term effect. To better understand why this may not be cause for concern, it’s important to take a look at the reasoning behind this decision as well as the U.S.’s history with downgrades.

Plan B for College Savings

With many recent graduates hitting the workforce, some parents may be looking this month to realize that there is still money left in their child’s 529 account and scratching their heads about what they are supposed to do with that money next. Fortunately, there are more options than you may think for handling this.

Social Security Earnings Test

Most people are familiar with the fact that if you claim social security benefits before you hit your full retirement age you can make too much money and have your benefit reduced.

Should You Consolidate Your Retirement Accounts?

If you’re like most people, you’ve saved for retirement in multiple ways, including employer plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). As you approach retirement, it may make sense to consolidate all of your savings into one account to achieve a coordinated investment plan.

Do You Need Health Insurance for Your Trip Abroad?

Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, a trip abroad takes a lot of research and planning before the fun (or work) begins. In addition to looking up flights, hotels, attractions, eateries, and how to ask, “Where’s the restroom?,” in a new language, there’s another important topic you should explore before you go: health insurance.

Decoding the Debt Ceiling Crisis: An Update

  We’ve discussed the debt ceiling crisis in past articles, and now it’s back in the headlines. What does this mean, and why are we watching it now?