All beneficiary designations are the same, right? Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The language adopted by the financial institution that holds your IRA or other retirement account might cause you to unintentionally disinherit your grandkids. Most financial institutions treat multiple beneficiaries “per capita” rather than “per stirpes”…
You know the saying about the cobbler’s children having no shoes? I have to confess to being a bit of a cobbler. Okay, my children have shoes – real ones and the financial planning version: ROTH IRAs. But I was recently going through the mail,…
Marriage should be based on love, right? But does it seem as though you and your spouse are speaking two different languages? -Paul spent three hours building a bookshelf for Marcie. All she wanted was 10 minutes to talk. -Carol bought Dylan a brand new…
When planning a date night or weekend getaway, few people think to make a discussion of finances part of the event. However, with money frequently cited as one of top stressors in relationships and one of the main causes of divorce, allocating time to have financial conversations with your sweetheart…
One of the most difficult decisions for families as a parent ages is the question of staying at home versus a more structured institutional environment. For the senior, the goal is to age in place on one’s own terms in a place that is familiar…
There has been no negotiation reached on how to deal with the nation’s borrowing limit and the deadline for mandatory spending cuts has been extended for two months. However, a significant amount of what relates to individual taxpayers has been addressed in the American Taxpayer…
We recently posted an analysis of the tradeoffs involved with realizing embedded capital gains in 2012 before presumed higher rates kick in starting January 1 (Cliffhanger: The Fiscal Cliff and Year-End Planning), in which we focused largely on the tradeoff between keeping more capital invested and eventually having gains…
We’re sure that you’re sick and tired of hearing about the fiscal cliff at this point, and we don’t blame you. The looming tax increases and spending cuts have spawned no end of “cliffhangers” and “Cliff Notes” describing the impending doomsday if Congress and the White…
The Money Savvy Pig was cited as one of five gifts to encourage good financial education/management in an article in the WSJ’s Personal Finance section entitled, “Gifts for the Financially Inclined”. In the article, journalist Simon Constable talks about the story behind the Money Savvy Pig……