Author archives for Carson Wealth
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How to Grow (and Keep) Your Emergency Fund
The most solid strategy is to build an emergency fund – accessible, ready and able to support you and your family when you hit a rough patch. Let’s look at a few essentials on creating and protecting your rainy-day money, and how this fits into your overall wealth plan.
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4 Hurdles in Retirement Beyond Your Investment Portfolio
Becoming hyper-focused on only one aspect of a problem is pretty much never a good approach. A racecar driver who only focuses on speed and ignores strategy won’t win races, at least not many of them. A carpenter who only hammers in nails won’t build strong structures.
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How Your Employee Benefits Fit into Your Financial Plan
Your Health Savings Account (HSA) is a cornerstone of your benefits planning. The money is triple tax-advantaged – contributions, growth and withdrawals for qualified expenses are not taxed. This account is like nothing else, and you need to take full advantage of it.
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How to Think Three-Dimensionally About the Rent or Lease or Buy Question
There’s more to this central question – rent/lease versus buy – than simply the numbers in your bank account. What you don’t spend in cash, you may spend in time and energy; what you save in this market you may pay for a year from now when the market is depressed.
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5 Common Retirement Planning Mistakes
Your retirement income plan may be sending up bubbles, too, whether around Social Security, taxes, healthcare or somewhere else – and these losses need to be patched up right away. So, to help your retirement plan be more airtight, let’s look at a few of the common leaks.
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4 Tips to Take Your 401(k) to the Next Level
The best kind of money isn’t old, new or even tax-advantaged – it’s free money! If your employer has a 401(k) program, they probably have a matching plan. Know what that is and make sure you max it out. They’re essentially giving you money, which you never want to turn down.
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The Basics Of Required Minimum Distributions With Your Retirement Account
Retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs allow individuals to save for their future in a tax advantaged manner. IRA and 401(k) contributions are often tax deductible and gains are tax deferred – you only pay taxes when you withdraw money from your account.
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Volatility – What to Expect and How to Act
I recently gave an annual presentation to the 401(k) participants I advise. I always try to explain risk tolerance and investing to my audience in an easily understandable way. For most of the participants, investing in their 401(k) has been their only experience investing, so their knowled …
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How Will My Financial Plan Change Over the Course of My Life?
Your career and lifestyle look completely different when you’re in your 20s compared to when you’re in your 60s – your financial focus and planning in each decade should follow suit. Let’s look at three financial tactics to focus on in each decade of your life starting with your 20s.
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Which Type of Life Insurance is Right for Me?
With so many different types of life insurance, finding the most suitable policy takes careful consideration. We’ll help you find the best possible solution, but before you meet with an advisor, having a basic understanding of the different types of life insurance can help.
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