I have a friend who is in the middle of a huge DIY project. It involves an entire house that's being gutted, rooms being rebuilt, things installed everywhere. She ran into a bit of a snag with a floor: a certain brand of floor (we won't mention) ended up not being great (due to poor quality control) and she's sending it back. She asked for ideas on what to do next. I … [Read more...]
401(k) Strategies for 2015
When we started drafting this post a month ago, we were JUST focusing on 401(k) plans. But that wouldn't be fair to everyone else...so here's a fresh look at what's new for 2015. Have you filed your taxes yet? We did over here at HQ, and it was a pretty painless experience - as we planned for as little as possible in a return, living the mantra "don't let Uncle Sam borrow your … [Read more...]
Why You Should Track Everything
Here, we'll learn that "set it and forget it" isn't really for financial planning. What could have been a really pleasant surprise last week - an item arriving in the mail from Fidelity, asking me to get in touch with them - really got me thinking. Just how organized AM I? And, how organized are you? Here's the drill. A long time ago - twenty-plus years - I worked in higher … [Read more...]
Panic Is Not Your Friend
Amidst EVERYTHING happening in the world, we have to deal with a stock market drop? Should we panic? I've got to admit that it's a little unsettling, watching all of the financial programs on Wednesday, October 15, while the Dow kept falling. Especially because it seems as if no one can agree on what's happening next. Will it drop further? Is this a buying opportunity? SHOULD … [Read more...]
Is it Time to Rebalance?
After a pretty good year on just about any stock market index, you might be wondering whether you've got the right mix. First, time for the disclaimer - we're not investment professionals over here. So you'll have to take this piece of advice with a grain of salt - or, as we sometimes say, a "salt lick." However, you might be wondering whether you have the right asset … [Read more...]
