Do you feel like you spent the last year gripping the steering wheel and waiting to see what would happen? You aren’t alone. Still, as we collectively look ahead and the chaos wanes, bits of good news are emerging. In the investing world, 2020 was a year of records...

Required minimum distributions take on added urgency as you approach (and reach) age 72, with specific rules and tax implications. Seventy-two is an important age milestone for those in or near retirement, as it marks the time when required minimum distributions...

Seven age milestones that will impact your retirement planning? As you travel the savings road toward retirement and beyond, certain key dates will pop up. Some of these dates are critically important to your retirement planning efforts. Taking the right retirement...

The Roth 401(k) resembles the Roth IRA in that contributions are made with after-tax dollars and qualified withdrawals can be made tax free. But, as the name implies, it also is subject to many of the rules affecting traditional 401(k) plans. If your employer offers a...

“Market timing” is the strategy of trying to predict when stock prices will rise and fall and attempting to buy low and sell high. While this seems to make sense in theory, it’s extremely difficult to pull off successfully. Trying to time the market may mean missing...

This article describes five common investment pitfalls — and how you might avoid them. Only about 23% of American workers say they are “very confident” they will have enough money to live comfortably throughout retirement. 1   To help reduce such uncertainty in your...

A budget is a tool for allocating your income; budgeting can be helpful in meeting short and long-term goals Get started by determining after-tax income and how income can be allocated Track spending and savings on an ongoing basis to determine if you are within your...

No matter how many times some myths are debunked, we may still believe them. For example, cracking your knuckles causes arthritis (still possibly annoying but not true), humans swallow eight spiders a year in their sleep (gross and thankfully not true) and twinkies...

When it comes to investing, many people associate risk with losing money. But investing entails different types of risk. Understanding each type – and the potential return associated with your retirement portfolio – can help you determine whether your investments are...

Your retirement plan may offer you several options for managing your retirement plan assets when you change jobs or retire. Understanding these choices will help you narrow down your choices. Your Options Following are the options that may be available to you. Note...

Our everyday lives have changed dramatically over the last few weeks as we work together to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We know these efforts are necessary, but they also have come at a cost. Global economic growth has been slowing, the US economy...

The term “Fiduciary” has received a lot of attention lately.  Certified Financial Planners (CFPs) act as fiduciaries, Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) such as The Wealth Consulting Group work under the fiduciary standard, but what does the term really...

If it takes a village to raise a child, it may take a team to help you pursue financial freedom. As a child, my parents built a team including aunts, uncles, cousins, and neighborhood families to help guide my brother and me down a “good” path, as they would say. ...

Spending time with family always reminds me of growing up in a family business. A trip to Virginia this year for my brother’s 50th birthday brought our family together including Mom, Dad, Aunts, Uncles and many cousins. The family business was an Italian...

Our summer vacation was an adventurous trip to Alaska this year!  It’s been a bucket list item for years and a chance to visit my 49th state.  Also, my significant other Quinton and I use vacations to explore new places and seek out cities for a potential...

We found Rodriguez last weekend…a.k.a “Sugarman” for those of you who saw the 2012 Oscar winning documentary “Searching for Sugarman.” He performed at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex on the campus of Cal State L.A after years of obscurity and at the age of...