If you do not already have one, opening a free “My Social Security” account would be a good idea. This secure account allows you to have convenient online access to information on your record and to manage your benefits once you start receiving them. You do not have to wait until you receive benefits to sign up.

Building credit is important for all ages.  We have recently seen a few estate cases where the surviving spouse with many credit cards and car loans through the years find that they do not have their own individual credit.  The credit cards they hold were issued as the second card and their name was the co-name on a loan.  Suddenly, they need to establish credit in their 70s.  According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), an estimated 45 million Americans may not have their own credit.

A recent Marketwatch article claiming “you should have twice your salary saved by age 35” has angered many across the Internet. The article, which included advice from Fidelity Investments, said you should have the equivalent of a year’s salary saved by age 30, and double that by age 35.

Our New England winter finally appears to be subsiding into some warmer weather. As we shed our heavy winter clothing for lighter gear, we may find that some of our clothes don’t fit due to weight gain. If you are not weighing yourself regularly, this could come as a surprise to you. You were comfortable in your winter gear, but revisiting your warm weather clothing shows you the change.

Now might be your golden opportunity to convert your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. The Tax Cut and Jobs Act that was signed into law in December lowered the top individual income tax rate to 37% from 39.6% and reduced many other rates as well. That means if you convert your traditional IRA to a Roth and agree to pay taxes on those funds now, you will be paying at a lower rate than in the past.

The Tax Cut and Jobs Act signed into law in December made an important modification to 529 college savings plans, a widely used college savings vehicle.  529 plans can now be used for qualified K-12 educational expenses. 

At this special time of year when we give thanks and gratitude for all that we have in our lives, please take a moment to give the same thanks and gratitude to yourself. We are living in an age where life is moving very fast and the expectation to be constantly in motion makes it difficult to keep up or feel that you are not falling behind. Too often, we do not give ourselves credit for what we have accomplished.

The media report daily on the results of investment indexes.  When you hear that the S&P 500 is up, do you know if that means your investments are doing well?  Let’s review a few types of indices and what they represent.

One of the best gifts you can give children is to teach them the basics about managing money.  If they can learn the discipline and wisdom involved in making wise choices at an early age, they could benefit tremendously in future years.

The prime time for a child to begin learning good financial habits usually occurs during the “tween to teen” years of adolescence according to Wealth Management studies.  At this age, they are old enough to grasp basic concepts, but young enough to still listen to parents and other adults.

The thought of estate planning can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Anyone can take basic steps to put their accounts and assets in order.  The cost is minimal and the process is often simple.  Certain types of accounts or policies, such as life insurance, annuities, IRAs, and many other retirement type accounts, can pass directly to your heirs by simply naming your beneficiary on a form.