The song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” describes how people feel about retirement these days. That’s the song chosen by nearly half of the respondents in a survey released on July 29 by the Alliance for Lifetime Income, a nonprofit educating Americans about protected lifetime income i…

I recently had a conversation with a Connecticut reader about balanced mutual funds. The objective of a balanced fund is to “seek” income and capital appreciation.

The difficult period we are experiencing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has a related, unsavory aspect: It has opened an opportunity for scammers to take advantage of people, especially seniors.

Last week, we talked about this year’s July 15 deadline for 2019 IRA contributions. July 15 is also an important date for “backdoor” Roth conversions for people who don’t qualify for Roth contributions.

If you have not made your 2019 IRA contribution yet, you are not alone. According to Fidelity Investments, the nation’s largest IRA provider, an increasing percentage of investors are making contributions to their IRAs during the last three weeks before the tax deadline — this year, that dea…

When I wrote about the suspension of required minimum distributions (RMDs) for 2020 by the CARES Act, which was signed into law March 27, I received a number of emails from readers who could not take advantage. They had taken their RMDs earlier in the year, and there was no way for them to r…

Have you received a plain envelope containing a Visa debit card from Money Network Financial? A few readers have shown me their letters, and I must say, the first question that comes to mind is whether it’s legit. After all, my readers didn’t apply for a debit card — and who is Money Network…

While news reports are focused on the pandemic, the economy and important social issues, a silent evolution in the financial services industry is underway. By the end of this month, investors will have available an easy way to distinguish between financial professionals, thanks to the U.S. S…

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) wants investors to be aware that fraudulent investment schemes are surging during the COVID-19 crisis.

May 29 is National 529 College Savings Plan Day, named for an Internal Revenue Code section (yes, it’s Section 529) that was adopted in 1996. 529s are intended to help families save for college with the help of tax advantages.

If you are a business owner who received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, no doubt, you’ll want to get the loan forgiven. After all, forgiveness is the intent behind the legislation that made PPPs available in order to help small businesses in a time of great uncertainty due to the …

When you were a child, did someone in your family talk with you about investing in stocks? I remember a grade-school substitute teacher of mine telling the class about how she received a gift of Coca-Cola stock from her grandfather. My teacher recounted that, as a teenager, she felt proud to…

It now seems like decades ago, but it has been only a matter of weeks since the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law (March 27). When we first talked about the act, legislators were hearing from small-business owners who were anxious about the future …

Just a few months ago, we enjoyed a stock market that reached all-time highs on Feb. 19, when the S&P 500 index closed at 3,386.15.

Every now and then, the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) proposes a law that states adopt. One such law allows you to title your house in transfer-on-death (TOD) form.

If you have been following the stock market, I’m sure you are aware that it’s in bear territory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 18,592 on March 23, a 30%+ decline from its peak of 29,551 on Feb. 12. (The S&P 500 index peaked on Feb. 19.)

Are you withdrawing from your IRA or 401(k) because you must, due to “RMD” rules? RMDs (required minimum distributions) are mandated by the tax laws. They apply to “owners” of an IRA or 401(k), beginning when they are in their 70s (age 72 if you were born after June 30, 1949; age 70 1/2 if y…

A week after President Donald Trump signed H.R. 748, the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act, into law following its passage in the House of Representatives, we’re starting to see progress.

Editor’s note: As Julie Jason notes in this column, it was written on Thursday, March 26, ahead of the passage of the CARES Act.

Now that the coronavirus is disrupting daily life, you are probably spending less time out and about, and more time at home. That presents a perfect opportunity to “MOOC.”

Editor’s note: As is noted in this column, the stack data is from a week ago and the figures have fluctuated dramatically. However, the main premise of the numbers — that stocks have seen tremendous losses in recent weeks in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic — remain relevant.

Is current market volatility affecting women investors differently than men? What about women who are breadwinners or have a high net worth? Do gender differences matter when it comes to investing? Do women investors prefer women advisers?

Last week, I promised to provide you with a list of resources that you can use to research retirement finances. Here are two sets of resources. The first 10 are provided by FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (finra.org). The second 10 are from the Social Security Administrati…

Here is a question for you: “How much have you thought about retirement?”