If it’s the last thing you do this year, get your finances organized. The week between Christmas and New Year’s is the perfect time to finish off those financial leftovers! Do yourself a favor. Stop at an office supply store — or order online — and purchase a couple of plastic file boxes and some […]
Author Archives: Terry Savage, Creative Syndicate
Posted inBusiness, News
Pension Check
Are you expecting a monthly pension check during retirement? If so, better check again. Whether your check is coming from a corporation, a union — or even a state or municipality — some new rules passed by Congress as part of the Omnibus spending bill may lead to cuts in your promised retirement benefits. The […]
Posted inFINANCE, News
Millennials
Time is money. And the Millennial generation, which is now making headlines for its low savings rate, seems to have missed that lesson completely. Astoundingly, a new study by Moody’s Analytics says most adults under age 35 have a savings rate of negative 2 percent! In fact, Millennials are taking on so much debt, and […]
Posted inFINANCE, News
Minimum Required Distributions
The government always wants its cut. So if you’ve been saving up for retirement and have reached the age of 70 and 6 months, you now face the monster of Minimum Required Distributions. All that money that grew inside your 401(k) or IRA or 403(b) or SEP-IRA or SIMPLE IRA account was tax-deferred, not tax-free. […]
Posted inFINANCE, News
Thanksgiving Feast, Family Talk
The Thanksgiving holiday approaches. Do you anticipate this event with desire or dread? For many families, it is the one time of the year they can get together for at least a few hours to create memories, reminisce and share a traditional feast. But it can also be a time of anxiety, with issues to […]
Posted inBusiness, News
Kids Holiday Gifts
Terry Savage, Creative Syndicate What to give your children or grandchildren for the holiday season is an annual dilemma. Once you get past the popular holiday toys (think “Frozen” anything!) or clothes (not very exciting), there are some real opportunities to make your gift a rewarding money experience for the young people in your life. So […]
Posted inBusiness, News
The SeeSaw of Inflation/Deflation
The world is teetering in the balance, like two children on a seesaw in the playground. On one side sits inflation — with its rising prices, higher interest rates and diminished buying power. On the other side sits deflation — with falling asset values, stagnant demand, bankruptcies and business failures. If the works goes to […]
Posted inFINANCE, News
Breast Cancer Survivors Get Life Insurance
Breast cancer awareness month has brought a heightened appreciation for the importance of money in finding the cure, prevention and even expanding treatment options for this deadly disease. Billions of dollars have been raised in this effort. And the money has had an impact. More and more people — women and men — have survived […]
Posted inFINANCE, News
Don’t Count on Social Security
My 96-year-old uncle is truly angry about Social Security. I’m sure his blood pressure moved dangerously high this past weekend as he explained the “raw deal” he is getting from the Social Security program. You see, he was one of the so-called “notch generation” — beneficiaries born between 1917 and 1921, whose benefits were recalculated […]
Posted inFINANCE, News
Save Taxes Start NOW!
The holiday decorations aren’t up yet, and the Christmas carols haven’t hit the radio yet. That would really be rushing the season. But there’s one place where it pays to do your shopping early if you want to save money: Taxes! There are a few steps you can take now before the holiday rush to […]