The allure of early retirement, escaping the daily grind for a life filled with freedom and leisure, is a powerful dream. However before taking the plunge, there are many things one should consider to increase the likelihood of a smooth transition and a secure future. This month, we’re delving into a few fundamental aspects to think about before embarking on your early retirement journey.
NIKE Employee Benefits: Understanding the Election of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) and Stock Options
Equity compensation can be as valuable, if not more so, as cash compensation over the long-term. The election of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), stock options, or a mix between the two is offered to qualifying employees every August. Let’s review some key factors that separate these two deferred compensation methods.
Giving Retirement a Boost with Unused 529 Plan Funds
With the ever-increasing costs of higher education, state-sponsored 529 plans have quickly become a popular vehicle for saving and investing for these expenses. However, a drawback of these tax-advantaged plans has been what to do with leftover funds should the beneficiary not need them. In this month’s blog post, we will discuss what options are available to those with an unused 529 plan funds, including insight into the exciting new option introduced with the passage of the SECURE 2.0 Act in 2022.
The Pink Tax: The Hidden Costs of Being a Woman
In a world that champions equality and justice, it may come as a surprise that there still exists a subtle form of discrimination known as the “Pink Tax”. This is not an actual government tax but rather a term coined to encapsulate the idea that being a woman costs more than being a man due to gender-based pricing of everyday necessities, services, and goods.
Workplace 401(k) Plan Withdrawals: What You Need to Know
In times of financial hardship and limited options, it can be challenging to turn a blind eye to a supply of money reserved for something as abstract as the future. A withdrawal from a workplace 401(k) plan, whether it be a permanent distribution or temporary loan, is allowable in certain circumstances and recent data from Bank of America shows that more participants are taking advantage: hardship withdrawals are up 36% from the second quarter of 2022, and plan loans have increased as well.