If you live in a high income tax state such as Oregon, California or New York, you’re probably not happy about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 capping your state and local income tax deductions at $10,000. Many people who were taking advantage of these deductions found their tax bill to be higher after the legislation passed. If nothing is tying you to where you currently live, such as a job or family, you may consider moving to a lower tax state.
College Graduation (A Guide for Parents)
Congratulations! Your child is not the only one who should celebrate graduating from college; this is a major milestone for you too! You’ve been planning, saving, and working to help support your graduate and now it’s time for the next chapter.
5 Tips for Inheriting Wealth – Life Transitions
Inheriting wealth can be unexpected or something you’ve known about for a long time. Either way, it can be life changing. Beyond the emotional component, your head may be spinning with questions about what to do next. How will this change my life? Will this change my life? Beyond the technical components of inherited wealth, receiving a large gift can spark a lot of existential questions that are important to address within the context of your financial plan.
Deciding Whether an Early Retirement is Right for You
We’ll admit it, we’ve dreamed of early retirement, but who hasn’t? It’s not necessarily related to job satisfaction, but imagining how you would spend your days if you were footloose and fancy-free can be an entertaining exercise. And we know we’re not alone: the recent FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement is symbolic of the increased desire by some individuals to minimize their number of working years. The FIRE movement encourages living in a highly frugal manner in order to save early in life, and then retire with a minimalist lifestyle.
Gifting Money to Your Children
As your children grow into adults, your relationship with them naturally evolves. You love them and may want to continue to support them in various ways but, when it comes to supporting them financially, things can get complicated.