HOw LONG DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR STATEMENTS?

A year? Seven years? It depends.

You have probably heard that you should retain copies of your federal tax returns for 7 years. Is that true, or a just myth? How long should you keep those quarterly and annual statements you get about your investment accounts? And how long should you keep bank statements before [...]

Obama’s Cabinet

Who’s in it, and where they come from.

Let’s take a look at who is in the new presidential cabinet, position by position – along with a couple of financially important choices outside the cabinet.
Secretary of State: Hillary Rodham Clinton. Confirmed 94-2 in the Senate. Former junior U.S. Senator from New York (2001-2008), former [...]

TARP’s PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE

The next $350 billion is ready to be released.
What did the first $350 billion accomplish?

What has the Troubled Asset Relief Program done for the financial sector? How was the first half of the TARP money spent? Where will the second half go? It’s time for a quick peek at TARP past, present and [...]

Retirement Tsunami Early Warning System Project

Date to Remember: January 27!
WE NEED YOUR HELP. WHO DO YOU KNOW AT GOOGLE? Google employees, with the help of an advisory board, will narrow the submissions to 100 semifinalists for their vote at project10tothe100.com program which could allow us to have massive citizen action by funding our initiative to get this bill passed. Tell [...]

Your Retirement: GET INVOLVED!

We are all in this together. For optimal outcome, our work will be done when:

Individuals empowered to make solid financial decisions that extend the length of time their financial resources last in their lives with less stress and higher life satisfaction.
Providers of retirement information [...]

Retirement+77 Million Baby Boomers

Should we be Scared or Hopeful?
Retirement: It is the issue on everyone’s mind but especially on the minds of over 77 million baby boomers who have just seen their retirement moved out or their retirement dollars reduced because of the economic crisis we have just experienced in our country.
The good news: We can be hopeful [...]

NEW FLEXIBILITY FOR 529 PLANS

In 2009, you can change your investment allocations twice.

The IRS has given owners of 529 plans the freedom to revise the asset allocations of their accounts twice during 2009.1 Previously, you could do this only once per year.
Basically, the once-a-year rule was put in place to prevent people from day trading their [...]

LITTLE WAYS YOU MIGHT IMPROVE YOUR FINANCIAL LIFE

Some things to think about this year – and every year.

This is the year! Yes, you can make 2009 the year you alter your financial life for a better financial future. Let’s look at some steps you might think of taking with the goal of financial freedom in mind.
No, we’re not talking about those [...]

DIVERSIFICATION ISN’T JUST ABOUT MARKET RISK

There are other risks we sometimes don’t think about.

When an investor or financial advisor thinks about diversification, it is generally with market risk in mind. It’s worth remembering that there are other potential risks to your money – and diversification can be valuable in helping you cope with them.
Business risk. Even today, [...]

Quarterly Economic Update for 4Q 2008

Quote for the quarter. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
The quarter in brief. Was that the worst of it? Maybe that is what the fourth quarter of 2008 represented – the trough of a very [...]