Author Archives: Tim Bauer

What is all the buzz about Health Savings Accounts? You may have heard about what an HSA can potentially offer: a pool of tax-exempt dollars for health care, a path to tax savings, even a possible source of retirement income after age 65. You may want to look at this option if you are eligible. […]

If you’ve ever clicked over to a financial news channel, you’ve probably heard the term “the Fed.” But who, or what, exactly is the Fed? And why does it matter to you? Here, we explain the Federal Reserve System, or the Fed, and explore how its decisions affect us all as Americans.  What is the […]

Receiving Social Security benefits is advantageous in retirement, but like many other forms of income, these benefits can be subject to tax by the Federal Government. To accurately predict your retirement income (and taxes), it’s important to understand how Social Security benefits are taxed. How are Social Security Benefits Taxed? While Social Security Income makes […]

Early retirement may seem like an appealing thought. However, good preparation is key to considering an early retirement. If you’re not prepared, you might run into complications. Here are a few things to consider before you put in your resignation at your job.  Will You Have Enough Money for Your Entire Retirement? Retirees tend to […]

It’s easy to lose track of all of the different document retention periods that exist for the various reasons we might need to provide them one day. It can be likely tempted to shred everything to be done with it and not have to worry about storing them anymore. Still, keeping good records will reduce […]

Social Security is a different experience for every American, but a few aspects are the same. Last year, MassMutual put out a quiz about Social Security and they were surprised at how few people got even a passing grade. Let’s see how you do. True or False:1 Ready for your answers? 1. True; 2. True; […]

Parents have the responsibility of training their children to grow into successful, independent adults. For many parents, talking to kids about money can cause fear or trepidation. One big reason for this is that they don’t believe they know enough about money themselves and fear they will give their children the wrong information. Although discussing […]

Have you ever set a financial goal for yourself with the best of intentions, only to find yourself derailed after a few months? If so, you’re not alone. Just look at how many people start the New Year off with a brand-new gym membership, only to stop going after a few months or even weeks. […]

While a will is a far more complicated document than a note, leaving a will for your family is not only a considerate move on your part; it may prevent your family from dealing with several hurdles and complications after your eventual passing. It’s a good idea to think carefully about making a plan for […]