Posts by Jon Magoch
China’s Growing Economy
“Let her sleep, for when she wakes she will shake the world.”
-Napoleon Bonapart speaking about China
Car Trouble
General Motors recently announced the pending closure of three U.S. assembly plants and the discontinuation of six cars made at those plants. While large sedans are no longer big sellers in the United States, they remain popular in China, and GM will continue to manufacture them there.
Read MoreWhat Impact Do the New Tax Laws Have on You for 2018?
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 reduced federal income tax liability for some, but not all, Americans. Wealthy residents of California, New York, and other high-tax states could face a higher tax bill when they file their 2018 return.
While cutting tax rates on ordinary income, increasing the standard deduction and doubling the federal estate and gift tax exemptions, the tax legislation also capped the deduction for state and local taxes (SALT). While once open-ended, the SALT deduction is now limited to $10,000 ($5,000 if married, filing separately).
Read MoreAre You Taking On Enough, Too Much or the Right Amount of Risk?
Risk is a necessary element of any retirement plan – because investing in things like stocks which can decrease in value can also give you big increases. Today Jon and Karyn talk about how to manage the risks involved to your own tolerances to give you the right plan with the right amount of risk so that your money will be there whenever you need it.
Read MoreDefend Your Retirement From Sneak Attacks
What sneak attacks could try to derail your retirement plans? Well, some include long-term care and other health costs, or kids coming back home as adults. Jon and Karyn discuss these and a number of other things which could throw your retirement plans for a loop if they are not addressed or planned for.
Read MoreStriking the Right Balance for a Successful Retirement
We all know what a balance sheet is when it pertains to a business. Well, when we retire, we need to check our personal balance sheet – if it’s out of balance, we may not have the money and resources we need to retire in the first place. Today Jon and Karyn go over the steps which need to be taken to be sure your personal balance sheet is where it needs to be in order to live your best retirement.
Read MorePension vs. 401(k)
Given a choice, which would you choose: a guaranteed fixed income for the rest of your life, or a lump sum that you could invest? As it turns out, lots of people prefer a sure thing.
This is what a recent survey showed about public sector employees posed with the option to select a defined benefit pension plan or a 401(k)-type defined contribution individual account. In fact, even when the defined contribution plan was the default option and workers had to proactively choose the defined benefit pension plan, they made the effort. In the eight states studied that offered a choice between the two options, all had employees choosing pensions at rates of 75 percent or higher in 2015.
Read MoreEssential Money Questions to Answer Before You Retire
There are a number of things you absolutely need to know before you make that move into retirement. What kind of lifestyle are you looking for? How much money will I need to save? How long will my retirement last? Today Jon and Karyn help you identify the questions you need to ask yourself – and then help with ways to provide the answers you need as well.
Read MoreFinancial Considerations for Centenarians
Have you thought about the idea of living to age 100? Many have not, but in case it happens, your financial plan needs to make your money stretch out that long, or maybe even longer. Today Karyn goes solo to tell you about longevity risk – the idea of outliving your money simply by living too long. She also outlines some ways to help you extend the life of your retirement savings, including managing Social Security, investments and other instruments of savings properly, just in case you might become a centenarian.
Read MoreKey Financial Steps for People About to Retire
Are you about to retire? Or is it at least on the radar? If so you will want to listen as Jon and Karyn go over several key steps which need to be taken to assure your portfolio is ready and your income strategy is correct to provide you the money you’ll need to last 20, 30 or perhaps 40 years.
Read MoreAre We in a Corporate Debt Bubble?
2018 marks the 10th anniversary of the Great Recession of 2008. Despite a painfully slow recovery, U.S. economic growth has been sustainable. The stock and bond markets continue to perform well, unemployment is low and the economy is generally considered healthy and booming.
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