Your car is one of the most expensive items you own. Costs include the purchase of the car itself, finance costs, fuel, insurance, state fees, maintenance and repairs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, vehicle-related expenses were the second highest after-tax expenditure (15%) for the average US household in 2017, between housing (33%) and food (13%). This makes the [Learn more...]
Financial Planning Basics
How You Can Apply The Serenity Prayer To Your Financial Life
This article originally appeared on Forbes.com. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference. -Reinhold Niebuhr I often see families who could benefit from more serenity in their financial lives. To illustrate this concept, I created a hypothetical situation to illustrate [Learn more...]
Raising Cash – A Deeper Look
Photo credit: Sharon McCutcheon Filling a one-time need for cash from your Sensible-managed portfolio takes a little time. While you may be able to withdraw cash immediately from your bank account, an investment account is different. Allow me to fully explain this step-by-step process. The process begins when you contact your advisor with your cash request. Perhaps there are [Learn more...]
The IRS Announced Higher 401k And IRA Contribution Limits For 2019 – How Much Should You Save?
This article originally appeared on Forbes.com. On November 1, the IRS announced cost of living increases to IRA and employer plan contribution limits for 2019. The IRA annual limit increased from $5,500 to $6,000; the employer plan limit (applicable to 401(k)s, 403(b)s, most 457 plans and the Federal Government’s Thrift Savings Plan or TSP) increased from $18,500 to $19,000. [Learn more...]
The Importance of Creating a my Social Security Account
For at least a year now, Sensible Financial has been advising its clients to create and then “lock down” their my Social Security Account. This account is located on the Social Security Administration’s web site, www.ssa.gov. Since September 29, 2018, your my Social Security account has been the only way to apply for Social Security and Medicare benefits online. Whether you [Learn more...]
Freezing Your Credit
Freezing your credit is now free (and probably makes more sense than ever) In April I wrote an article about the steps Sensible Financial takes to protect our clients’ information along with actions you can take to protect yourself, such as using strong passwords and enabling multifactor authentication where possible. A newly-passed law now makes it easier to protect your [Learn more...]
What Should You Do With Your Old Employer Retirement Account When Changing Jobs?
With the economy picking up, more people are changing jobs. This article will focus on just one of the implications of moving to a new job: what should you do with your old employer retirement plan? You have three options, each of which I will address in turn, highlighting the factors that we use to advise clients on how to choose the best one for them. What is a rollover [Learn more...]
