When you are trying to make a financial plan, or reach a certain financial goal, it is important to have an idea of your financial priorities. After all, without priorities, it is impossible to decide what you should do with your money — not to mention figure out what actions you need to take to [...]
Almost every month, I read an article discussing the size of our nest egg needed for a comfortable retirement. Almost every time, I think about my own retirement funds and try to compare it to the guidelines. Yet, every single time, I ask myself: Is the retirement savings being referred to a post or pretax [...]
We received my wife’s 401k plans statement yesterday and we felt like financial geniuses. Splashed on the first page of the statement was our mutual fund performances, up 28.14% in the quarter and 18.43% year to date. My instant reaction was of joy, but it quickly faded as questions were bubbling in my head. Did [...]
We haven’t even gotten through this crisis yet, and we have another one on the way? Seriously? That’s what John Bogle–the founder of Vanguard and the creator of the first index fund–would have us believe. And, distressingly enough, the case he makes is pretty convincing. Last month, Bogle testified before the House of Representatives about [...]
With foreclosure rates sky rocketing and no end in sight, banks are much more willing to negotiate with homeowners on the specifics of their mortgages. These days, “loan modification” have almost become an industry by itself as banks allocate more and more resources to work on this. Sparked by all the news surround it, a [...]
After weeks of waiting and calling everyone to do their part of the process, I finally got my 401k moved over this week. During this time, I realized a few important facts about the 401k offered by my employer. The employer match will not be fully vested until my 10th year of employment (it starts [...]
