As an investor, you’re always on the lookout for the best possible returns with the least amount of risk. It just makes sense. But many experts say that paying off high-interest debt is one of your best investments - and I completely agree.

For example, suppose you are getting an average annual return of 8% from your investment portfolio. On the other hand, you are paying 19% annual interest on your credit card. In other words, you are spending roughly 11% more out of your pocket each year to service the interest on your credit card. Regardless of how you look it, you’re not getting ahead.

When the stock market takes a sudden turn downward, it can be easy to get worried about your investments. Market turmoil can cause even seasoned investors to take pause. Watching the value of your investments go down can certainly be disheartening.

In fact, a 2018 study found that Americans are more stressed by money issues than by personal relationships or work. Stock market volatility is nothing new so finding the best way to cope with the swings will help give you peace of mind. Getting your finances in order will help you weather the inevitable ups and downs of your investment portfolio.

When it comes to investing, putting money into stocks is one of the best options for the long term. However, as you can imagine, trading in the market can be complicated and somewhat confusing for first-timers. Fortunately, there are tons of resources on the subject, so getting started is all about doing a bit of research. 

We’ve compiled a list of five great value investing books worth a read. Whether you’re brand new to the world of stocks and investing or just want to polish your knowledge, each of these books is going to help. 

Not everyone wants to spend the next 30 years paying a mortgage. Most of us want the wprivilege that comes with homeownership but feel it’s a lot to have to carry for so long. 

Wouldn’t it be great to be a homeowner and not have to carry the burden of a 30-year mortgage for, well, 30 years? What if you’re pretty close to retirement but still foresee a lengthy mortgage payment in your future? 

If you’re approaching retirement and looking for ways to beef up your monthly income, there are many strategies to consider. You could pick up part-time work or start a side hustle like tutoring or delivering groceries. Or, you could just rent out your home or part of your home for cash and travel the world.

If you think that final suggestion is intriguing, you’re not alone. Thanks to technology brought to use by companies like Airbnb and VRBO.com, it’s more common than ever for senior citizens or anyone approaching retirement to use their home as an income-producing asset so they can do…well….whatever they want.

There are many reasons why you may want to determine how much your business is worth. 

You may be approached by a proposed buyer. You may want to sell and invest the money for your retirement. You may want to know it for insurance purposes. 

The business world uses the term 401(k) often. Many employers offer their employees these retirement accounts as a benefit to working there. 

Some employers even offer 401(k) matching. This benefit is exactly as it sounds. An employer matches the amount of money that you contribute to your 401(k). So, you put money into your 401(k), and then your employer does the same. 

If a business wants to hire and retain top-performing employees, it needs to offer substantial benefits. While options like healthcare and paid time off are enticing, nothing is quite as appealing as tax breaks. High-earning workers typically want to save as much money on taxes as possible while maintaining investment opportunities. 

Fortunately, that’s accomplished through deferred compensation plans. These plans can come in many forms and offer specific advantages (and potential disadvantages). This article will dive into how these plans work and why they can be so attractive. 

Not everyone can qualify for a traditional life insurance policy. Depending on your health and lifestyle, an insurance underwriter might be reluctant to approve your application for a policy.

If you have only applied to a company or two, don’t give up on a traditional life insurance policy yet. Every company has different standards that they follow, and something that disqualifies you from one might not disqualify you from another. 

Real estate owners and investors use the 1031 exchange as a way to build wealth by deferring the capital gains tax. For those unfamiliar, the IRS requires investors to pay taxes on the value of sold investments when that investment realizes a profit. Real estate and other investments are subject to capital gains taxes. 

Named after IRS Section 1031, the exchange has many different variables. All investors must understand the ins and outs of Section 1031 before performing an exchange. It comes with many rules, such as the type of property and certain time frame restrictions. 

Usually, when people think of estate planning, they imagine filling out a will or establishing a trust. However, some assets allow you to name beneficiaries directly through a process called transfer on death (TOD). 

Transfer on death can be beneficial in various circumstances, particularly if you want to avoid probate. Today we’re going to discuss the ins and outs of TOD and when it is most beneficial. 

Investing in our friends, family, and community is a natural behavior. Sacrificing our time, money and effort to benefit others is altruistic, helping us feel that we provide real value in the world. But for all that you spend to help others, how much do you spend on investing in yourself? 

Investing in yourself is more than setting up a retirement account or buying a home. Rather than planning for the future, self-investment is most often directed toward the present. It manifests in several ways, such as:

For many workers, the benefits package a company offers is almost as important as the salary that goes along with it. One of the benefits that workers are most interested in is the retirement plan. People want to know that they are going to be okay after they stop working, and in most cases, they are relying on their employer to help make that a reality when it comes to saving. 

Many companies offer retirement plans such as a 401(k). However, these plans can come with bureaucratic red tape and regulatory loopholes to jump through – which can make them more difficult to implement. Because of these difficulties, some companies choose to opt out of plans like 401(k)s altogether.

If you are considering starting or investing in a new business, you may have seen some information on a limited liability company (LLC) and a limited liability partnership (LLP). When you first look at the two business structures, they look very similar, but there are some key differences between an LLC and an LLP. 

To hopefully decrease confusion, we’ll start with defining what they are and then dive into what makes them different.

This post was last updated on January 20, 2021, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

Full Disclosure: This article is not a get-rich-quick scheme of how to become a millionaire in your 30's. Rather, it's a list of sound principles and practices that you can put into place to become a millionaire at some point in your life even if not in your 30's (which is extremely difficult to do). Becoming a millionaire and/or achieving financial independence takes discipline, hard work, and savings. I can assure you it WILL NOT happen overnight.

This post was last updated on January 20, 2021, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

Full Disclosure: This article is not a get-rich-quick scheme of how to become a millionaire in no time. Rather, it's a list of sound principles and practices that you can put into place to become a millionaire at some point in your life. Becoming a millionaire and/or achieving financial independence takes discipline, hard work, and savings. I can assure you it WILL NOT happen overnight.

This post was last updated on January 20, 2021, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

Full Disclosure: This article is not a get-rich-quick scheme of how to become a millionaire in your 40's. Rather, it's a list of sound principles and practices that you can put into place to become a millionaire at some point in your life even if not in your 40's. Becoming a millionaire and/or achieving financial independence takes discipline, hard work, and savings. I can assure you it WILL NOT happen overnight.

This post was last updated on January 15, 2021, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs. 

For many of us, our 401(k) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan is our primary vehicle for retirement savings. A 401(k) is a defined contribution plan meaning that our retirement benefit is determined primarily by the amount that we save and how we invest those savings. However, there is a maximum 401k contribution limit that we will cover.

If you’re saving for retirement, chances are that you are putting money away into an employer-sponsored 401(k) plan. According to a recent study by the Investment Company Institute, Americans put away over $5.8 trillion in assets in 2019. By comparison, that number was only $3.1 trillion in 2010. 

While 401(k) and 403b accounts are by far the most widely utilized saving plans, you may not be aware of the various costs and fees that come with them. In fact, if you’re like 37% of savers, you may not realize that you pay anything at all.

This is one of the most common questions that I am asked on a regular basis. It’s certainly a fair question and one that’s probably even gone through my head a few times.

We live in an instant gratification world – what have you done for me lately?” We expect to see the results of our saving and investing efforts immediately. While there are times you’ll actually notice faster growth within your investments because of a specific sector or company, for the most part it’s a long-term process.