Author Archives: Megan Russell

The steps to declare your tax withholding elections are fairly simple to accomplish online.

There is an artistry to a bond allocation, and while historical analysis can only be suggestive, it does tell a strong narrative.

You can distribute any amount of money to the account owner for any reason, but only distributions which are reimbursing for qualified education expenses are tax and penalty free.

You can distribute any amount of money to the designated beneficiary for any reason, but only distributions which are reimbursing for qualified education expenses are tax and penalty free.

Voting early is as easy as voting in-person. You can vote whenever is convenient for you including right now.

Any qualified education expense for the benefit of the designated beneficiary which is paid to an eligible educational institution can be paid from the 529 plan directly.

I was surprised that Charles Schwab’s High Yield Investor Checking account was the only named recommended checking account.

Before you say, “Oh, that doesn’t sound too hard,” you simply haven’t thought of the complexity.

Once you set up your new login, the next time you return to Social Security, you can login using the “Sign in with LOGIN.GOV” button instead and your new credentials.

This 2015 article reminds us of the benefits of umbrella insurance. We recommend $2 to $5 million of umbrella coverage for typical families with assets over $300,000.

Furthermore, it is difficult for clients to locate the full account number through simple clicking around the online portal. Instead, you have to know where to look.

This 2014 article is a good reminder of how interest rates work in our country.

With a savings waterfall, you immediately know which buckets to fill when there is excess and which should remain dry if there isn’t enough for all your goals.

We have attempted in this article to provide generic guidance on the topic of calculating your own safe spending rate.

Sometimes the costs are actually benefits when it comes to Roth conversions.

You have until April 15 (or October 15 with an extension) of the next year to finish up your prior year SEP IRA funding.

While the appreciation allocation helps you achieve your financial goals, introducing a stability allocation into your portfolio can prevent your portfolio from running out of money.

This quarter, we saw that in 1-year returns using the dynamic tilt and ending June 30, 2024, Developed Freedom Investing had a -0.14% disadvantage, Emerging Market Freedom Investing had a -0.02% disadvantage, and Overall Freedom Investing had a +0.36% advantage.

While it is possible a trusted contact may provide you with some protection, it cannot replace a durable power of attorney.

In most cases, Schwab’s rules around durable powers of attorney help to protect the principal. However, the same rules can also impede the principal’s agent.

The best way to ensure that you save and invest is to automate the process.

Estate planning is a task which is never useful until it is too late to do it.

You swipe your debit card at the card reader and the clerk quickly asks, “Debit or Credit?” Which should you choose? This 2013 article tells us.

On June 2024, Schwab provided an update about viewing and taking your RMD on Schwab.com.

There are no financial hooks, termination fees, or such imposed by our firm.

I think the intent of this list is to make advisors feel under-prepared and thus more likely to sign up for one of the paid newsletters Ed Slott provides. Regardless, here are my answers.

We agree with Kleintop’s assessment that valuations suggest that international equities are poised for more gains.

The CFP Board is compensation neutral, but it is only because of how they are paid.

When a 529 plan is set up, there are two important people associated with the account. The first is the account owner. The second is the beneficiary. Both can be changed.

Roth IRAs have one weakness, but the remedy is to have opened and funded your Roth more than 5 years ago. So do it today!

Biden’s state of the union address makes clear who he wants to tax.

With many of us saddled in student loan debt well into our late thirties, our retirement cannot wait for us to be debt free. This 2016 rewrite of a 2007 article teaches you how to get started with savings while repaying your loans.

Alas, there is only one thing we can do to help dictate which kind of tax system we face and that is vote.

Last year, our 2023 Marotta’s Gone-Fishing Portfolio was a recommendation of 12 stock investments. This article is to report on the 2023 performance of those twelve stocks.

Once you have calculated the funding requirements for your college savings goals, there are three strategies for funding the accounts.

Taxpayers waiting for final guidance, have seen penalties waived for 2021 or 2022 RMDs, for 2023 RMDs, and now for 2024 RMDs.

This quarter, we saw that in 1-year returns ending March 31, 2024, Developed Freedom Investing had a -5.8% disadvantage, Emerging Market Freedom Investing had a +3.83% advantage, and Overall Freedom Investing had a -2.89% disadvantage.

This article offers an overview of what we know about 529 reimbursement timing.

As of 2021, here is an overview of how the states and jurisdictions handle interest on certain U.S. government obligations.

This 2015 article has five rules for safely handling your digital security which you can’t afford not to implement.

Converting early can avoid your exposure to tax changes going forward as a Roth IRA is never taxed again.

Last year, eleven countries made our cut-off. This year, twelve do.

Because of Mexico’s current valuation, we believe that it has the possibility to perform well regardless of how this potential conflict resolves.

Regardless of which way the balance of trade says the surplus falls, we and our trading allies benefit from the exchange.

This 2015 article details one of the most brilliant breakthroughs in all of food science and how it relates to almost every aspect of life.

Roth conversions can decrease your taxable income and increase your tax savings over the long haul.

The 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) is a Medicare contribution tax on investment income.

The holiday cliché is to complain about hyper-materialism, but according to anthropologists, gifts and gift giving help shape our identities.

This quarter, we saw that in 1-year returns ending December 31, 2023, Developed Freedom Investing had a -3.97% disadvantage, Emerging Market Freedom Investing had a +4.9% advantage, and Overall Freedom Investing had a -1.27% disadvantage.

Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are one of the most important account types, and understanding the difference between Roth and traditional contributions and withdrawals is foundational to tax planning.