You Can't Hide in Fixed Income
When is being risk-averse too risky for the sake of your retirement? After you conclude your career or sell your company, you have a right to be financially cautious. At the same time, you can risk being a little too cautious - some retirees invest so timidly that their portfolios barely yield any return.
The Big Estate Planning Question of 2012
In late 2010, Congress gave wealthy taxpayers a remarkable short-term opportunity to shift assets out of their estates tax-free during their lifetimes. This opportunity is available through the end of 2012 – and it could vanish after that.
Audit Red Flags
Are you one of those taxpayers worried about being audited? Let’s look at some red flags that might get you extra IRS scrutiny.
Q1 2012 Quarterly Economic Update
Dow +8.14%. S&P500 +12.00%. NASDAQ +18.67%. These numbers resemble a good year on Wall Street - and these were simply the advances from the first quarter. While stocks may or may not climb higher for the rest of the year, investors could certainly cheer the opening quarter of 2012 - the best quarter for U.S. equities in nearly 14 years.
What Happens to Our Social Media Identity When We Die?
If you use Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, you may have wondered what happens when users die. Are profiles immortal? Are memories lost? Few users really know.
How Much Retirement Income Will You Really Need?
Many people underestimate lifestyle costs, medical expenses and inflation.
Ways to Put a Refund to Work...
Is a tax refund coming your way? If you have already received your refund for 2012 or are about to receive it, you might want to think about the destiny of that money. Here are some possibilities:
Could Gas Prices Harm the Recovery?
By March 16, retail gas prices were up 16.94% YTD. This major climb is leading some economists to wonder if the leap in gas prices is powerful enough to stall our economic momentum.
China, Its Currency & the Global Economy
Right now, there are dozens of mutual funds and ETFs devoted explicitly to investing in China’s impressive emerging market. Even with the risk of asset bubbles, the promise of China is simply too tantalizing to ignore for many. The question is whether its economy can maintain its powerful momentum in 2012. If not, the impact on global investors could be significant.
Tax Corporations Less... Tax Dividends More?
On Capitol Hill, a rough consensus is starting to emerge: a feeling that the corporate tax rate should be reduced to help U.S. firms stay globally competitive. At the same time, President Obama’s 2013 federal budget proposes a massive tax hike on corporate dividends, a change that could harshly impact the individual investor.
Underpublicized 2012 Tax Changes & Reminders
Every year, the IRS institutes big and little changes – and some don’t get as much notice as they should. This year is no exception. Here is a rundown of some of alterations and asterisks affecting taxpayers this year.