Securities Donation Calculator
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Archived Under: Moneysmartz Editor , Philanthropy , Taxes , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: Moneysmartz Editor, Philanthropy, Taxes, The Moneysherpa Pages
According to Giving USA, Americans gave total contributions of $260.28 billion for 2005. Generous by most standards and partly fueled by tax savings.
If you are considering a year-end charitable gift, Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund's Securities Donation Calculator will help you measure the tax savings from selling the securities and contributing the proceeds to charity and paying any associated capital gains tax compared to giving the securities directly to charity and avoiding capital gains tax.
The tax savings from contributing directly can be significant, so if you are inclined to give securities this year, consider giving directly to cut your tax bill.
How Are You Doing Financially?
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Archived Under: Moneysmartz Editor , Net Worth , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: Moneysmartz Editor, Net Worth, The Moneysherpa Pages
With almost 9 million millionaire households in the United States and a steady stream of net worth lists including the Forbes 400 Richest Americans, we are constantly reminded where we stand in the financial pecking order.
If you are interested in seeing how your are doing, not only your net worth, but in all aspects of financial planning, like college savings, asset protection, retirement planning, and budgeting, then the December 2006 issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine offers a financial fitness test to compare where you are.
The test will show you where you stand compared to others taking the test including a small group of Kiplinger's readers. Tips for staying and getting ahead will help you improve your long-term financial health.
Not surprisingly, the test shows that the meaning of millionaire is changing, with the majority of respondents saying they need to be at least a millionaire to meet their long-term financial objectives.
Housing Values in 152 Markets
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Archived Under: Moneysmartz Editor , Real Estate , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: Moneysmartz Editor, Real Estate, The Moneysherpa Pages
With so much of our net worth tied up in real estate, it's not surprising that we are obsessed with home prices. Is your home overvalued? Fairly valued? Undervalued?
To answer these questions and learn more about the state of the housing market, the December issue of SmartMoney includes a spreadsheet of housing values in 152 markets and a review of what's happening in real estate now that the bloom is off the housing boom.
Retirement Planning Update
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Archived Under: Baby Boomers , Directory Updates , Retirement Planning
Tags: Baby Boomers, Retirement Planning
Category: Retirement Planning
Recent Update: November 9, 2006.
Category Overview
Since retirement is looming for the first of almost 78 million baby boomers, boomer or not, we'll all experience the wave of retirement information, products, and services through commercials, articles, blog posts, and more.
Before you tune out and take cover from the tide of stories about 401k plans, IRAs, estate planning, annuities, pensions, social security and Medicare, anytime, especially now, is a great time to check and see if your nest egg is safe and growing and your financial house is in order.
If you are just getting started planning for your retirement, then going to Google and searching under retirement will return about 12 million results, a tidal wave of information by any standard.
The recently updated Moneysmartz Retirement category offers a place for you to gently place your toe in the water and find relevant sources of information and reliable providers of services.
While on the Retirement category page, you'll find sources of information, like portals, online encyclopedias, and government websites, under featured listings. Under listings, just below featured listings, you'll find providers of services, like retirement plan managers. Editor picks are included in our custom search engine, letting you search the best financial sites.
Tips for Getting Started
- Start with the big picture by visiting a financial portal or planning center like CNN Retirement, the Yahoo! Finance Retirement and Planning Center or Smart Money Retirement. Wikipedia introduces retirement .
- Learn retirement planning lingo. Best bets include Investopedia's retirement terminology and AICPA's retirement literacy resources.
- Determine how much you need to save for retirement and maintain your same lifestyle using the Choose to Save Ballpark Calculator in combination with FIRECalc.
- Learn about the most important elements of your retirement savings and investing plan including Social Security, pensions, 401ks, IRAs and retirement plan taxes.
- Don't forget resources offered to specific groups including the AARP for Seniors and the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement.
- If you are truly lacking motivation, then ponder Five Questions for a Better Retirement.
Featured Custom Searches
Five Questions for a Better Retirement
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Archived Under: Financial Calculators , Financial Goal Setting , Moneysmartz Editor , Retirement Planning , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: Fidelity, Financial Calculators, Financial Goal Setting, Moneysmartz Editor, Retirement Planning, The Moneysherpa Pages
With the experts telling us how unprepared we are for retirement, it's no surprise that many of us put off retirement planning for as long as possible. If the experts are right, then most Americans will have a day of reckoning when confronting a retirement with inadequate savings.
If you are willing to feel some pain today with the hope of a brighter retirement, then Fidelity's My Plan, requiring answers to five simple questions, is a relatively painless way to determine how much you'll need when you retire and what you need to do to get there.
The My Plan tool is intuitive and pleasant; delivering good and bad news with a smile while providing concrete steps to change your investment habits and begin preparing for a better retirement.
Mortgages Update
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Archived Under: Directory Updates , Mortgages and Loans
Tags: Mortgages
Category: Financial Services > Mortgages
Recent Update: November 3, 2006.
Category Overview
Homeownership is as American as apple pie, with about two-thirds of American households owning a home. As the baby boom generation ages, more Americans will be buying second homes and considering products like reverse mortgages.
So, for most of us, understanding mortgage terminology, finding the right mortgage lender, and making sense of our financing options is fundamental to our financial well-being.
Unfortunately, using the Internet to research your mortgage options can be overwhelming with a seemingly endless supply of information and offers.
The recently updated Moneysmartz Mortgage category offers a place for you to avoid the tangle of offers and find relevant sources of information and reliable providers of services.
Tips for Getting Started
- Get the big picture. Start with Wikipedia’s mortgage page or the Yahoo! Finance Mortgage Center.
- Learn more about the terminology before talking with lenders. Important terms include jumbo mortgages, balloon payments, interest only loans, ARMs, reverse mortgages, and equity loans.
- Don’t forget special programs from the FHA for first-time home buyers, fixer-uppers, and reverse mortgages for seniors.
- Comparison shop for rates before getting serious. HSH Associates publishes mortgage rates and consumer loan information. MortgageLoan.com, Interest.com, Lending Tree, Bankrate, and LoanWeb offer more comparison services and interest rates on a state-by-state basis.
- If you run into a problem, brush up on legal terms at the Legal Information Institute.
- When you are ready to find a lender, consider providers with a lot of experience and a national reputation like E-Loan or Quicken Loans. Don’t overlook local providers who may be able to provide face-to-face assistance when you need it the most.
- If you want to lower your long-term costs, consider bi-weekly payments.
- Beware of fraud, particularly when considering a reverse mortgage.
Featured Custom Searches
These steps may seem daunting, but with a few thoughtful clicks, you’ll begin meeting your mortgage needs and continue pursuing the American dream.