Major Provisions of Finance Committee’s America’s Healthy Future Act
(source: Taylor, English, Duma LLP)
Excise Tax on High-Cost Insurance Policies. An excise tax of 40 percent would be imposed on insurance premiums in excess of $8,000 …

In many households, there is still one spouse who takes the dominant role in handling the personal finances for the family. Should that spouse pass away, it leaves the other spouse with often not knowing where all the important financial documents are located, and in some cases the investment accounts that were set up by the spouse.

Here are some tips to remember if this tragic events ever happens in your family:

As many baby boomers reach or near retirement, one of the questions we are always asked about is what age should someone begin taking Social Security. The answer will truly lie in the details of your personal financial situation, but here are some key considerations to think about when making the decision.
First, you really want to consider whether or not you plan to work and earn a decent living past the age of 62.

This past week, I was reading about the FDIC saying they needed to borrow money.   If that isn’t an oxymoron!   To boot, the FDIC was concerned that American would be worried if they started taking …

Over the last few months, I have noticed an interesting pattern happening among newly married couples. These are the young early 30’s couples who spend their 20’s growing their incomes, dining and entertaining like it was going out of style, and most importantly getting the American Dream (at least in their head) of having a $500,000 home with all of the toppings. These couples seemingly had nothing that could stand in their way of financial success.

You lost a piece of your luggage, and it could not be found. You not only lost your luggage, but two of your favorite shirts and your best cologne/perfume. What happened to all of your stuff?

It ends up in a warehouse called the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama. This original concept began in 1970 when founder Doyle Owens had an innovative idea, 300 dollars, and a used pick up truck. Today, the store offers a unique shopping experience and the opportunity to discover lost treasures from around the world! The store occupies over 40,000 square feet, and stocks over 7,000 items.

If you’re already saving for college, you’ve probably heard about 529 plans. 529 plans are revolutionizing the way parents and grandparents save for college, similar to the way 401(k) plans revolutionized retirement savings. Americans are pouring billions of dollars into 529 plans, and contributions are expected to increase dramatically in the coming decade. Where did these plans come from, and what makes them so attractive?

In 2008, Sallie Mae reported that 84% of all students had a credit card. The average balance on these cards skyrocketed from $2,169 in 2004 to $3,173 in 2008 according to Sallie Mae. With so many credit card companies parking there tables on college campuses trying to sign kids up for credit cards it caused recent legislation to be enacted in May that will change the credit card game.

For many years, the rule of thumb for first time homebuyers was to put 20% down when you bought your first house. Over the past decade we saw that rule pretty much fade away. Attracted by no money down loans, it was easy to qualify to get into a home that was likely to be several hundred thousand more in value than you could probably afford.

But this is a dangerous time, experts say, because a trader’s inflated ego can get in the way of sound investing decisions. The thrill of buying a winning stock can keep them from selling that stock and locking in profits. “The human mentality is to want to have a winner,” says Todd Salamone, senior vice president of research for Schaeffer’s Investment Research. “It’s psychologically hard to admit you’re wrong.” Meanwhile volatility, after seemingly taking the summer off, has started to return to the stock market. The CBOE Volatility Index, known as the VIX and a commonly-used guage of the market’s volatility, was as low as 22 in mid-August, but popped up above 30 last week.