7 Tips To Minimize Financial Overwhelm When Your Spouse Has Died
When your spouse dies, you may have some immediate expenses to take care of, such as funeral costs and any outstanding debts that your spouse may have incurred (e.g., credit cards, car loan). Even if you are expecting money from an insurance or estate settlement, you may lack the funds to pay for those expenses right away.
Top 4 Questions To Understand Probate
If your estate is subject to probate, someone (usually a family member) begins the process by filing an application for the probate of your will. The application is known as a petition. The petitioner brings it to the probate court along with your will. Usually, the petitioner will file an application for the appointment of an executor at the same time.
Maintaining Your Financial Records: The Importance Of Being Organized
An important part of managing your personal finances is keeping your financial records organized. Whether it’s a utility bill to show proof of residency or a Social Security card for wage reporting purposes, there may be times when you need to locate a financial record or document–and you’ll need to locate it relatively quickly.
Annuities and Retirement Planning
You may have heard that IRAs and employer-sponsored plans are the best ways to invest for retirement. That’s true for many people, but what if you’ve maxed out your contributions to those accounts and want to save more? An annuity may be an appropriate investment to look into.
4 Tips For Investing To Reach Major Financial Goals
The first step in investing is defining your dreams for the future. If you are married or in a long-term relationship, spend some time together discussing your joint and individual goals. It’s best to be as specific as possible. For instance, you may know you want to retire, but when? If you want to send your child to college, does that mean an Ivy League school or the community college down the street?
Bonds, Interest Rates, and the Impact of Inflation
There are two fundamental ways that you can profit from owning bonds: from the interest that bonds pay, or from any increase in the bond’s price. Many people who invest in bonds because they want a steady stream of income are surprised to learn that bond prices can fluctuate, just as they do with any security traded in the secondary market.
What To Do With Your 401(K) Plan When Changing Jobs
When you leave your current employer, you can withdraw your 401(k) funds in a lump sum. To do this, simply instruct your 401(k) plan administrator to cut you a check. Then you’re free to do whatever you please with those funds.
3 Ways To Balance A Retirement Portfolio With Asset Allocation
Each type of investment, or asset class, has strengths and weaknesses that let it play a specific role in your overall investing strategy. Some investments, such as stocks, may be chosen for their growth potential. Other asset classes, such as bonds, may provide regular income. Still, others may offer relative stability or serve as a place to park money temporarily. And, some investments may try to fill more than one role.
6 Steps To Begin Estimating Your Retirement Income Needs
It’s common to discuss desired annual retirement income as a percentage of your current income. Depending on whom you’re talking to, that percentage could be anywhere from 60% to 90%, or even more. The appeal of this approach lies in its simplicity, and the fact that there’s a fairly common-sense analysis underlying it.
How does Death affect Social Security?
Death is not something many people like to discuss but unfortunately, it happens. When it does it can seriously affect the surviving family’s finances. You may not be aware of this but there are instances in which a person’s Social Security benefit will carry on after their death.