How to Calculate and Maximize Your Social Security Benefit
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How to Calculate and Maximize Your Social Security Benefit

The current maximum monthly benefit from social security is $4,555/mo or $54,660/yr. If you purchase this much cash flow as an annuity in the public market, it would be worth $1.3 – $1.5 million. Because of this considerable value, it is worth understanding how to maximize both your monthly benefit/expected lifetime benefit, and how this…

$500 Billion Student Loan Forgiveness Update ($10k/$20k, New IDR Plan, 0% Interest Ending)
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$500 Billion Student Loan Forgiveness Update ($10k/$20k, New IDR Plan, 0% Interest Ending)

Student loan forgiveness has been floating around congress and the headlines for the past few decades. Until 2020, it seemed like empty promises, but since Covid-19, the student loan forgiveness train has started gaining traction. It began with pausing student loan payments and granting 0% interest rates for the past 30 months, which has saved borrowers billions of dollars on its own. And now, the Biden Administration is pushing to forgive $10,000 to $20,000 of student loans.

Quarter in Charts – Q3 2022
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Quarter in Charts – Q3 2022

Over the last few weeks, I kept the kids up far past their bedtimes to witness Aaron Judge break the American League single-season home run record. While we had to sit through a whole lot of walks, we eventually got to witness a once-in-a-lifetime event that we’ll tell some grandkids about. Sadly, this year, investors have also witnessed an investment market for the record books. Through the charts below (and a recounting of my real-world experience with our 15-year-old new driver) we’ll examine the year so far, talk through viewing investments through the “windshield” of a financial plan, and see how investors have typically fared better than average coming out of historic times like these. 

I Bonds Are Paying 9.62%, What’s The Catch? (Updated)
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I Bonds Are Paying 9.62%, What’s The Catch? (Updated)

(Note: At the time of publication, July 2022, I Bonds were paying an annualized rate of 9.62%. Since then, interest rates and inflation have changed, causing the combined I Bond rate to adjust down to 6.89% as of February 2023. You can find the current combined interest rate here.) The US Government introduced Series I…

Understanding Probabilities of Success in Financial Planning
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Understanding Probabilities of Success in Financial Planning

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…

Quarter In Charts – Q1 2022
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Quarter In Charts – Q1 2022

We just completed Science Fair season in our house – whew! Finley (age 12) tested different ratios of Corn Syrup to Sugar to determine the optimal recipe for homemade marshmallows (I take all the credit for the title: “Who Wants S’more Marshmallows?”) Going into the project, she had no idea which recipe would make the…

How to Contribute $67,500 into a Solo 401k in 2022
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How to Contribute $67,500 into a Solo 401k in 2022

Solo 401k’s have always had a large annual contribution limit, but the trick is getting to that limit while living within the rules provided by the IRS. There are four rules to follow to contribute the entire $67,500. Rule #1: Qualifying Business You must work in a for-profit business with “one” employee: you. However, the…

Decide Today, What Kind of Old Person You Want to Be
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Decide Today, What Kind of Old Person You Want to Be

“I’m sorry, but I have to take this call…Mary will tell you more about why.”  We were in the middle of our client review, when Jeff hurriedly excused himself to the lobby. I looked over to Mary and said that I didn’t need to know the details, but hoped everything was okay. “Oh, everything’s fine…or…