For Mark Roberts' Use: Did you know that until recently, you had to pay to see your credit score? Luckily, as of February, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a new initiative allowing more than 50 million Americans to access their credit scores for free. That access will soon expand to millions more Americans. The [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Have you ever considered investing in real estate, such as a rental house, vacation home, or apartment building? It may be a good idea to generate income and shelter some of your assets from taxes, but this type of investment typically requires substantial capital. Even if you have the that kind [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: It is often said that we should all reevaluate our retirement plans and life insurance policies every few years, to make sure the measures we're taking are in line with our needs and goals. But what if you discover that your annuity or life insurance policy no longer serves you well, [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: You may have heard that oil prices have dropped in recent months. But what happened to cause prices to plummet? One causal factor was the amount of crude oil produced by the US. In the first quarter of 2014, the United States surpassed Saudi Arabia and Russia to become the world’s largest [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: It has been six years since the official end of the Great Recession. And yet, many of us are still wondering when we'll see a true, dramatic improvement in the economy. Good news: Several key indicators, commonly used as predictors of economic activity, are giving us good reason to feel hopeful about [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: As you probably know, the deadline for filing your federal income tax return is April 15. But perhaps you don't have time to gather all of your supporting documentation. Or maybe you've been ill, undergoing major career changes, or moving to another state. There are a plethora of different reasons that [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Identity theft is a growing problem for consumers. As soon as law enforcement officials begin to figure out criminal methods, thieves move on to newer, more sophisticated tactics. This is particularly true of cyber crime, because hackers continually stay one step ahead of law enforcement and the general public. Cyber criminals [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: When planning for retirement, many people choose to invest in an annuity. Under a variable annuity contract, one or more payments are made to an insurance company in exchange for guaranteed income stream or lump sum payment in retirement. Only the earnings portion of an annuity is taxed as income, making [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: After a long period of intense negotiations, the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 finally passed through Congress in December. The act extended 55 tax provisions through the end of 2014. Although the future of the tax measures remains uncertain, for now we know that several of these provisions may benefit [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: It's almost that time again – time to file your federal income taxes! As with many things in life, knowledge and preparation for tax time can help you avoid consequences you regret. If you gave any large gifts last year, or are planning to do so this year, it might help [...]