Just as retirement planning should start well before you actually retire, estate planning should be an ongoing process. Here are five important questions we often discuss with our clients to ensure their estate plans are on track...
American families spent 16% more on college this year
According to Sallie Mae’s annual report, “How Americans pay for college”, Americans say they spent 16% more on college expenses during the 2014-15 school year than the year before. Families shelled out an average of $24,164 to cover college costs during the 2014-15 school year, compared to $20,882 the year prior. It’s the first time in five years that families have increased college spending year over year, according to Sallie Mae...
How Much $100 is Really Worth in Each State
I’ll admit it – I’m an HGTV fanatic. I love that channel, particularly one of their flagship shows, House Hunters. In it, the main contestants are looking for a new house to buy. A local realtor will show them around to 3 houses within their stated budget, and by the end they will choose which house to purchase. This show is shot all over the United States, in varying degrees of real estate markets. Depending on where the contestants are located, an average $300,000 budget can mean a 1 bedroom condo (in a place like the San Francisco Bay Area) or a detached single family home with a nice sized backyard (in a place like Nashville, TN)...
7 questions to ask yourself before deciding to retire
In a recent Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2014 conducted by the Federal Reserve Board, only 13 percent of people who haven't retired yet say they've given a lot of thought to financial planning for retirement,. Moreover, nearly 40 percent say they have given little to no thought to retirement planning. Whether due to financial issues or a lack of foresight, it seems a lot of people just don't give much thought to retirement....