It Looks Like I’ve got a 75% Chance of Making it Home From Work When we talk about achieving financial goals, we use the term “Probability of Success”. It comes from a Monte Carlo mathematical model that produces a number ranging from 1% to 99%. But what does a 50%, 75%, or 99% probability of
Category: Planning Tips
If I Had to Recommend One Book About Money
If you wish to improve your financial life or enjoy well-written books then I would recommend taking the time to read “The Psychology Of Money”.
PSLF: The Best Student Loan Program for Non-Profit and Government Employees
The most advantageous program for non-profit and government employees is PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness.) It features the shortest payoff period (10 years!) and tax-free loan forgiveness (which could be worth tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars!) PSLF sounds good, but the process for forgiveness can be complicated. And considering that only 2%
Working From Home: Can I Deduct That?
This summer as I’ve flipped the April, May, and June pages in the 2020 paper calendar, filled with photos featuring kids’ and grandkids’ events from 2019, I’ve wondered what photos will fill my 2021 Shutterfly calendar: making sourdough bread, more photos of dogs than grandkids, and photos of finally finished jigsaw puzzles? Who thought we’d
Should I Refinance My Home?
In case you haven’t heard, mortgage rates are the lowest they have ever been. The chart below shows average mortgage rates over the past 49 years, from 1971 to 2020. Currently, the 30-year mortgage has an average rate of 3.17%. You can view the chart above and edit the timeline yourself in order to see
Three Financial Planning Strategies During a Down Market
I remember the first time I had the wind knocked out of me. The day was unseasonably warm, and I was 8, lying in my dad’s arms in a hammock. I started to doze off and rolled out of the hammock, falling back-first onto the Mexican tile. I remember gasping for air, but I had
Individual Focus: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES)
Disclaimer: We’ve pooled several resources together to give you a comprehensive look at the new developments in tax and unemployment law changes since the onset of the Coronavirus. However, do not consider any of this to be tax, legal, or financial advice. We would be happy to talk with you more about your specific situation,
The SECURE Act
President Trump signed The SECURE Act of 2019 (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement of 2019), into law on December 20, 2019. While it has a far-reaching scope (see the chart below from Michael Kitces’ in-depth summary,) in this post, I’ll focus on a few provisions likely to affect most workers, retirees, and 401k
Budgeting (Part 1): Rules and Tools
You can find part 2 of Budgeting HERE When I was ten, we would visit our family friends in Michigan called “the five boys”, for obvious reasons. Being a ten-year-old looking for fun, their pig farm was perfect. We would arrive and clamber out of the car yearning for the green light from our parents.
Aging Isn’t For Sissie (Part 2) – So Many Choices, So Little Time
In my previous blog post, I gave several examples of families caring for the elders in their lives. Today I want to look at a few of the many options available. I’ll cover traditional options like Senior Living and Continuing Care Retirement Communities along with lesser-known options like “Golden Girls” Shared Living, and even something new called