Retirement & Financial Planning Report

Miscellaneous deductions in excess of 2% of your adjusted gross income can be deducted from taxable income. Investment expenses that …More

Variable annuities allow you to invest in mutual funds without paying taxes each year. When you invest in a variable …More

If you have a tax-deferred retirement account (such as an IRA) as well as investments in a taxable portfolio, which …More

Historically, small-capitalization stocks have outperformed large-cap stocks, according to Ibbotson Associates, Chicago, which tracks results back to 1926. In 1998, …More

If you baby sit for your grandchildren, ask to be paid in cash, at the going rate. You can contribute …More

FEDweek has just teamed up with a cutting edge company that has developed an advanced, proprietary Federal Job Search engine …More

In 2000, while the major stock market averages went down, the utilities industry group posted a 50.5% gain. Yet utilities …More

To avoid a very painful surprise, always confirm the maturity date for any certificate of deposit you are considering to …More

Disability insurance policies used to be “bundled” with a pre-set assortment of features but now they’re frequently “de-coupled.” That is, …More

Effective on January 1, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is allowing more people with disabilities to work without fear of …More

If you invest inside a tax-deferred retirement plan and also in a taxable account, you need to decide which assets …More

Generally, the higher your tax bracket, the greater the appeal of tax-exempt municipal bonds. Suppose, for example, you can earn …More

Donor-advised funds, also known as charitable gift funds, allow you to make an irrevocable gift of cash or securities. As …More

You have until April 16 to contribute to an IRA for 2000. (Some other types of retirement plans allow you …More

Many investors include foreign stocks or stock funds in a diversified portfolio. However, it may not make sense to treat …More

If you think you’ve paid to much on your current vehicle loan there may be a way to get a …More

Last year, the best choice in the bond market was 30-year Treasuries. The federal budget surplus enabled the Treasury Department …More

Since late 1987, The Herzfeld Closed-End Fund Average has outperformed the Dow Jones Industrial Average by more than 30%. In …More

Are you planning to sell stocks or stock funds to help finance a child’s education? Before you sell at a …More

Convertible bonds and convertible preferred stocks (“converts”) are fixed-income securities with yields a bit lower than straight bonds of similar …More

A married couple where one spouse is employed can have two IRAs. Moreover, the non-working spouse may deduct his or …More

A trial work period (TWP) allows Social Security disability beneficiaries to test their ability to work for at least nine …More

Don’t buy investment property until you walk through the building to examine its physical condition. Talk with the existing tenants …More

The average junk bond fund lost 0.39% in 1998, returned a mere 4.32% 1999, and lost 9.12% in 2000. After …More

While finance companies may approve loans that bring your total debt service to 37% of your aftertax income, for the …More

In case you haven’t seen it, we have posted in our “retirement center” section of our website: https://www.fedweek.com a FREE …More

If you are interested in taking a chance on a new mutual fund, hoping for outstanding results, what should you …More

For a life-long stream of income, consider buying an immediate annuity. As the name suggests, with an immediate annuity you …More

Certain types of debt are worse than others. The worst, by far, is credit card debt: the interest you pay …More

For current income, tax sheltering and appreciation potential there aren’t too many investments that can match direct ownership of rental …More