We just passed the hottest holiday shopping season with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Did you buy anything for yourself? Were you debating whether to buy something or not? There are so many ads with blockbuster sales that it’s hard not to buy things you want. How did you deal with that holiday shopping itch? I’m a tech guy and deals on tech always catches my eye. Whether it’s new computers, phones, tablets, smart watches, cameras, or other gadgets, if…
Retirement catch up contributions allow people age 50 or more to make additional contributions above the standard limit. In 2025, the standard limit is $23,500 you can contribute to your 401K. If you are 50 and older in 2025, you can contribute an additional $7,500. This is a total of $31,000. You can contribute any amount up to $7,500. Whether you are doing a traditional 401K pre-tax or a Roth 401K post-tax, the retirement contribution limits apply to both including…
By now you should be receiving emails, mail, and other communications about health benefits, retirement contributions, and other end of year decisions to make. It’s open season for health benefits so it’s a good time to review your coverage and make any changes you need. Not just health benefits, there are other things to consider that would affect the following year. These are some of my end of year to-do list before the year ends. Review health coverage Open season…
The holidays are coming up which is known for travel, food, shopping, and presents. While the holiday season is supposed to be a time of celebration it can also feel like a financial burden. Whether you are taking time off, traveling to different cities, buying presents for everyone in your family, or just shopping for yourself, many things come with a price tag. Below are examples how I tackle the holiday season financial ordeal. Traveling If you are traveling by…
Staying healthy is a long term goal for many of us, if not all of us. How often do you go to the doctors? How about specialists? How often do you have to pick up a prescription? The more doctor visits and prescriptions you take, the more it costs you. Whether you have a deductible to meet or having to pay co-pays for every visit, this can add up. I’ve had my share of medical expenses in the past. Even…
Today the Fed cut interest rates by a quarter point. They had already alluded to having another cut. What does lowering interest rates mean? Depending on your financial position, it could be a beneficial thing or not a beneficial thing. As the Fed cuts interest rates by a quarter point, here are examples how this will impact you. Lower mortgage interest rates If you’re in the market to buy a home and have to take out a mortgage, you’re in…
Pensions are a great benefit to receive after you retire. Not many organizations offer pensions anymore. It can get very costly. If you do get a job that offers one don’t take the benefits of a pension lightly. Pensions is a powerful tool to attract workers because it is rare and to keep employees at an organization until they retire for longer retention. If you join a company or organization that offers a pension at a young age you may…
What’s the one thing that you don’t have a lot of and you can’t control? It’s time. You can’t speed up time, stop time, or slow down time. Time is finite. Your time on this planet cannot be extended. It’s such a limited resource that you don’t want to waste time. When you hear about the power of compounding, one of the necessary components for your money to grow is time. Compounding money grows over time, not overnight. The longer…
Not too long ago I purchased a plug-in hybrid vehicle because I wanted to try out how good the electric side of the car is. I loved it so much I decided to get a fully electric Tesla last year. I had the notion that driving a Tesla, an EV car, is going to give me so many benefits such as saving on gas, paying less on maintenance, and helping the environment. In my previous posting, I highlighted how much…
The stock market has its waves of ups and downs. Many factors can affect the market’s direction. Economy, labor market, inflation, unemployment, political, and health news are just a handful of examples that can affect the stock market or individual stocks. Another recent example that everyone probably remembers is the covid lockdown and how the stock market temporarily crashed. As I’m writing this article, McDonald’s came into the spotlight with a potential health matter, e.coli, that hospitalized a number of people…