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One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring.
Aldo Leopold Categories
Author Archives: David Pitt
The right fit: Tips for hiring a financial adviser
Hiring financial help is hard. Anyone looking for assistance managing their money will quickly encounter an alphabet soup of professional designations. Two of the more common are CFA, which stands for chartered financial analyst, and CFP, for certified financial planner. Read More
Tips for choosing the right target-date fund
The performance of stocks in October — their best month in almost a decade — makes it tempting to peek at your 401(k) balance. Read More
5 biggest money mistakes retirees make
Live long and prosper. We should all be so lucky to fulfill this blessing made popular in the television series “Star Trek.” For retirees to maintain their desired lifestyle without a paycheck, possibly for decades, they need have a solid financial plan. Read More
4 of the biggest money mistakes single people make
The single life isn’t always the simple life. When it comes to financial planning, being on your own doesn’t mean managing your money is a cakewalk. That’s especially true today. Read More
‘Say what?’: 4 top money mistakes couples make
On TV it’s rare for couples or even roommates to fight about money. Reality isn’t always entertaining. Arguments about finances are often what lead to the end of a relationship. Read More
401(k) hardship withdrawals require serious thought
The numbers show that times are still tough financially. More workers are taking money from their 401(k) accounts early and using the hardship withdrawal rules to give them access to needed cash. Read More
Couples need to talk retirement details
Workers have become more involved in retirement planning but too often just one member of the family takes care of investments and strategy, leaving the spouse unprepared to take over if needed. Read More
4 tips to help determine if owning a home is right
Home prices aren’t what they used to be. Their steady decline may be causing your anxiety to rise. After all, buying a home is a big commitment. But even in a down market, how you go about deciding whether to buy a home remains the same. Read More
Workers too often tapping 401(k), not a piggy bank
“It’s my money, why shouldn’t I use it?” It’s a mindset that can be a slippery slope when it comes to your retirement savings. Indeed many workers may be robbing themselves of a secure future by viewing their 401(k) account as a piggy bank that can be tapped all too easily. Read More
College graduate dilemma – save or pay off debt
Stretching a starting salary is tough work. Recent college grads often are just learning to manage their own finances at a time when they’re bearing the cost of setting up their first homes and making student loan payments. Read More
401(k) balances up 12 pct from year ago
The average balance of 401(k) retirement plan accounts managed by Fidelity Investments rose to $74,900 at the end of the first quarter, the highest level since the company began tracking balances in 1998. Read More
4 steps for planning retirement health care costs
There’s a tremendous lack of knowledge when it comes to planning for health care costs in retirement. Read More
6 mid-career money myths that can trip you up
Managing money doesn’t get easier with age.
Workers often hit their peak earning years only to be pulled in several directions. Beyond basic expenses there may be college-age kids or aging parents who need financial help. It can be a lot to balance at a time when retirement savings should take on more importance. Read More
Lessons learned from 4 years of 401(k) volatility
Americans who were afraid to open their 401(k) statements during the recession are finding good news inside the envelope now: For the most part, their accounts have come all the way back and then some.
Nine in 10 of the popular retirement plans are at least back to where they were in October 2007, the peak of the stock market. Since the bull market began in March 2009, stocks have almost doubled. And many investors who kept their nerve and continued putting some of their paycheck into a 401(k) during the market’s worst months are now ahead. Read More
