- Do Financial Advisors Need a License?
License requirements to work as a financial advisor vary widely. Generally, depending on your practice, you will most likely need to take either the Series 6 or Series 7 exams as well as the Series 63, Series 65 or Series 66… read more…
- Ask an Advisor: I Have $240K in Debt, and My Portfolio Is Down. Should I Tap My Retirement Accounts to Repay Credit Card Debt?
With stocks and bonds down, should I use retirement assets, such as a Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP) IRA, Roth or annuity, to pay down credit card debt? My stocks are down 15% to 20%, and my annuity is the… read more…
- 5 Financial Planning Tips for Millennials
Millennials — generally defined as adults born between 1981 and 1996 — face some unique challenges when it comes to financial planning. While the oldest millennials are entering midlife and potentially their peak earning years, the youngest may just be… read more…
- March Jobs Report Shows a Cooling Labor Market. Here’s What That Means for Inflation and You
After months of job growth and tight labor conditions, the latest employment data suggests the U.S. economy may finally be slowing down. The economy added just 236,000 new nonfarm payroll jobs in March, which is down from the previous six-month… read more…
- Tax Advisor vs. Financial Advisor
Taxes can be confusing and you might have questions about how to file or the best ways to minimize what you owe to the IRS. But who do you turn to for advice? A tax advisor may be an obvious… read more…
- Ask an Advisor: I’m 65 Years Old and Going to Retire Soon. How Should I Structure My Portfolio?
I’m a 65-year-old preparing for retirement within the next three to five years. I’m looking at different types of retirement funds. Would adding stocks that are dividend-structured along with gold and cryptocurrencies be a good mixture? -Earl Shifting from building… read more…
- What Is an Education IRA?
An education IRA is a tax-advantaged savings account that can be used to pay for education expenses. Funds in these accounts, which are also known as Coverdell education savings accounts (ESAs), can cover the costs of tuition, books and supplies… read more…
- Do I Need a Financial Advisor for My Pension?
If your job comes with a pension, your employer is responsible for funding the pension plan and making sure you will receive the projected income in retirement. However, even people with pensions have retirement-related financial decisions they will have to… read more…
- Ask an Advisor: ‘I Want Truly Independent Advice.’ How Can I Find a CFP Who’s Not Associated With a Brokerage House?
How can I find a certified financial planner (CFP) who is not associated with a brokerage house? I want truly independent advice and not steered toward selling me securities. I especially want tax advice. Everyone I have called turned out… read more…
- Financial Analyst vs. Financial Advisor
Financial analysts and financial advisors are both professionals who help people and organizations achieve their financial goals. The roles are similar and overlapping in some areas but also have specific differences. Financial analysts focus on using data and research to… read more…
- Ask an Advisor: ‘How Can I Mitigate This Situation?’ My Tax Bill Is Huge Because My Investment Accounts Don’t Withhold Capital Gains
My investment accounts don’t withhold taxes from my capital gains, which is causing me to owe large amounts when I file my returns. How can I mitigate this situation? -David As capital gains distributions are unpredictable and usually unknown until… read more…
- Mortgage Rates Could Hit 8.8% – Is Now a Good Time to Buy?
Buying a home is always nerve-racking, but those looking purchase right now have even more reasons to fret: the Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates steadily for more than a year, meaning that those looking to get a mortgage… read more…
- Ask an Advisor: I’m a 43-Year-Old Divorced Dad With $315K in an IRA, $90K in a Roth and Other Accounts. Can I Retire at 57?
I am a 43-year-old divorced father. I have $315,000 in a traditional individual retirement account (IRA), $90,000 in a Roth IRA, $22,000 in a health savings account (HSA), $8,000 in a 529 college savings account, $30,000 in a traditional 401k,… read more…
- Does the Mortgage Industry Hate Old People?
Getting a mortgage could become more difficult and expensive as you age. For most Americans, especially young adults, homeownership remains out of reach with the average purchase price for a home nearly doubling over the past 10 years and mortgage… read more…
- Banks in Distress: What You Need to Know About the Safety of Your Money
In less than a week, the U.S. banking system has suffered two of the largest collapses in American history. Regulators shut down Silicon Valley Bank on Friday after customers rushed to withdraw their money as fears rose about the bank’s… read more…
- Ask an Advisor: I’m 81, Have a $118K Mortgage and a $110K IRA. Should I Withdraw From My Investments to Pay off My Mortgage?
I am 81 years old. I have a home mortgage balance of $118,300. I also have a $110,000 rollover individual retirement account (IRA) invested with a bank. Should I withdraw the money from my investment and put the money to… read more…
- How Investors Use IntraFi to Keep Money Insured
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures bank deposits in the event that a bank fails. The National Credit Union Association (NCUA) does the same for deposits at credit unions. But this insurance only goes so far, as there are… read more…
- Are You Rich? Biden Wants to Double Your Capital Gains Taxes and Implement a Wealth Tax
While social issues have dominated news coverage recently, one of the most contentious and important issues in Washington never changes — tax policy. One of former President Donald Trump’s biggest victories was his 2017 tax plan that drastically reduced taxes… read more…
- These Charts Show How Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs Stack Up Against Each Other
When saving for retirement, you’ll typically have two choices for how you’ll fund your IRA. With a traditional IRA, you’ll contribute pre-tax dollars that will grow inside the account tax-free and be taxed when the money is withdrawn. A Roth IRA,… read more…
- Roth IRA Income Limits for 2025
A Roth individual retirement account (IRA) can be a helpful tool for retirement planning. These tax-advantaged accounts offer a way to save money in addition to what you might be contributing to a 401(k) or similar workplace plan. And if… read more…
- 5 Strategies to Lower Financial Advisor Fees
Hiring a financial advisor can be a smart move – but it doesn’t always come cheap. Fees may cut into your budget and might even disrupt how you plan to save money down the line. We’ll discuss strategies that can… read more…
- Research Shows This One Move Can Help You Retire
An eye-opening new study has found that simply talking to a financial advisor may be enough to dramatically boost people’s savings rates for retirement. Researchers examining exclusive data from more than 20,000 clients of a large Swiss bank found that… read more…
- Financial Advisor vs. Insurance Agent: When Do You Need One?
A financial advisor can help you create a strategic plan for managing your money. Part of that plan might include buying insurance, something that an insurance agent can also help with. When working with a financial advisor vs. insurance agent,… read more…
- Money Can Buy Happiness, At Least If You Make Up to This Amount
The old adage that “money can’t buy you happiness” may need to be updated. A new study of the connection between money and well-being found that happiness, for most people, increases with more income. Previous research asserted that happiness plateaus… read more…
- What Is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)?
The federal government passes financial regulations to protect consumers from unfair practices. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) exists to make sure that banks, lenders and other financial institutions follow those regulations. You might not give much thought to the… read more…