For Mark Roberts' Use: As the end of the year approaches, the holiday spirit might take over. You’re feeling festive - and generous. Giving to charity feels right, but it can also net you some significant savings on your taxes, via the charitable giving tax deduction. Before you start writing checks, make sure you’re taking [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: As you race toward the retirement finish line, escaping the office might be all you can think about! But it’s better to create a solid plan before entering into a new phase of your life. This will prevent you from feeling disappointed in your retirement, or making major financial mistakes. As [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: If you're like many people, Social Security will comprise a significant part of your retirement income. And yet, considering the size and complexity of the government program, it's no wonder that so many people are confused about how to file for their Social Security benefits. You have many options at your [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: According to a study by FINRA Investor Education Foundation, 84 percent of Americans aged 40 and older have been solicited to participate in what appeared to be a fraudulent money scam. Unfortunately, 11 percent reported that they lost money this way. Scammers love to target people as they are approaching retirement, [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: As we wrap up 2015, you might already be thinking about your state and federal income taxes. Toward the end of each year, it's a good idea to assess your income over the past year, find possible deductions, and take the right steps to lower your income tax burden. Many Americans [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: The life insurance industry has been around since the days of ancient Rome, helping to protect the dependent families of workers from worst-case scenarios. But a lot has changed in society since then, particularly over the last 100 years. Today's life insurance policies are changing quickly with the times, just as your [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: The point of your retirement account, whether you have an IRA or an employer-sponsored plan, is to help you save for your retirement years. Most of these plans offer important tax-deferred benefits, so that you don't pay income taxes on the money until you begin taking withdrawals after age 59 ½. This [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: As you're planning for retirement, you will be presented with many different options to provide you with a stream of income in your later years. An annuity is one such option, but these financial vehicles are still somewhat misunderstood among investors. Technically, they are insurance-based products, but an annuity serves to [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: After working hard and saving for retirement all of your life, you will most likely begin to take distributions from your retirement account once you retire from your career. But in some cases, you might prefer to leave your money in the account and allow it to grow, or you might even [...]
You've spent your life building your business, and you want to leave it to your successors when you retire in good health. But since a sudden death, serious illness, or even divorce could spell disaster for your business, it's always better to draft a back-up plan before you ever have need for one. Otherwise, it [...]