Natural Disaster Planning for Small Businesses

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Whether your small business survives a natural disaster may depend as much (if not more) on the plans you put in place now, before a disaster occurs, as on what you do after a disaster strikes. Here are some disaster preparedness ideas for you to consider for your small business. Before the disaster Evaluate possible [...]

Ways Parents Can Help Their Boomerang Kids

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It’s been called the new retirement wild card. But it’s not inflation, health-care costs, or taxes, though those things certainly matter. What is it that’s causing so much uncertainty? It’s boomerang kids, and the money their parents spend on them. The trend According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 6 million young adults ages [...]

Is it true that Social Security beneficiaries are being required to receive their payments electronically?

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That’s correct. On March 1, 2013, the U.S. Treasury Department will stop mailing paper benefit checks. After that date, all Social Security beneficiaries (as well as anyone receiving another type of federal benefit, such as Supplemental Security Income benefits, Railroad Board annuity payments, federal retirement benefits, or veterans benefits) will be required to receive their [...]

Merging Your Money When You Marry

Merging Your Money When You Marry

Getting married is exciting, but it brings many challenges. One such challenge that you and your spouse will have to face is merging your money when you marry. Planning carefully and communicating clearly are important, because the financial decisions that you make now can have a lasting impact on your future. Discuss your financial goals [...]

How to Raise a Saver

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As parents, we naturally want what’s best for our kids. We want them to be polite, respectful, healthy, curious, and smart. And we hope that someday, they will grow into successful adults with independent, fulfilling lives. How best to accomplish this? Well, along with teaching the ABCs, 123s, and right from wrong, teaching your child [...]

Retirement Rules of Thumb

Retirement Rules of Thumb

Because retirement rules of thumb are guidelines designed for the average situation, they’ll tend to be “wrong” for a particular retiree as often as they’re “right.” However, retirement rules of thumb are usually based on a sound financial principle, and can provide a good starting point for assessing your retirement needs. Here are four common [...]

Tax Time; Past, Present, and Future

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With the 2011 tax filing season behind us, much attention is being paid to the expiring “Bush tax cuts”–the reduced federal income tax rates, and benefits, that will expire at the end of 2012 unless additional legislation is passed. In fact, though, several important federal income tax provisions already expired at the end of 2011. [...]