Personal Finance and Lifestyle Guide
Social security benefits are an essential part of many individuals’ financial planning, serving as a critical safety net for retirees, disabled persons, and their families. Established in the United States in 1935, the Social Security program has evolved significantly over the years, adapting to meet the varying needs of an aging population and a changing […] More
No one wants to hear you complain about putting your pension to work for you. Really; it’s like complaining that someone accidentally got dirt on the floor of your brand new Lamborghini because she did not wipe off the bottom of her 6-inch diamond-studded Christian Louboutin heels when you went to George Clooney’s house for […] More
One of the most common misconceptions about life is that you cannot possibly save for retirement when you don’t make that much money to begin with. It’s not easy to live on a small income, but many people do it. There are those of us who cannot imagine saving for retirement and living on less […] More
So many interesting financial questions have been presented to my husband and me in the past few weeks. I mentioned recently that he’s been with his current company for 15 years, working his way from the bottom to as far up the ladder of success as was possible, and now he’s been purchased by another […] More
Life insurance is considered one of the most important investments one can make. However, it comes in many faces, and is categorized in two main types: term life insurance and permanent life insurance. Term life insurance, or term assurance, does not have an investment component, unlike the latter. Hence, permanent life insurance is popular as […] More
If you are like most people, you are going to be relying on your Social Security payments when you retire. In 2014, there were over 59 million Americans who were receiving Social Security benefits and a total of $863 billion was paid out. When you retire, you are eligible to that piece of the pie. […] More
When it comes to determining the amount of money that you will get from Social Security when you retire, a few things are taken into consideration. Your earning history throughout your life is a huge deciding factor. Also, the age that you are when you apply for your benefits is also a factor. If you […] More
My husband and I don’t talk often about retirement. We’re saving for it and being responsible about it, but it’s not really anything we care too much about right now. For one, we’re living a good life right now and enjoying every moment of it. Secondly, we have four small kids so our retirement isn’t […] More
Investing in your 401(k) is a great idea; you know this. It’s a wonderful way to save money and hopefully retire on time and with a nice little nest egg to your name so that you can enjoy the Golden years of your life. It’s not always easy to understand, though. When it comes to […] More
At the rate we are going in the world today, retirement age is going to be somewhere around 250, or when you die; whichever comes first. In fact, it’s kind of disturbing how many people just shrug and say that they’ll retire when they can rather than actually look forward to retiring at 62 when […] More
Planning for retirement is something we all need to do a lot earlier than we probably did it. Hopefully, the financial crisis the economy went through back in 2008 will help the younger generation learn a few valuable lessons that won’t leave them broke and destitute. Fortunately, it does not appear that there is any […] More
If you take a quick look at your finances, you’re probably going to notice that your biggest expense is your mortgage. It’s certainly my biggest monthly expense. It’s your house; and it’s probably the single most expensive thing you will ever purchase (unless you have four kids like we do, and then college will probably […] More