Making Cents: Estate Planning for Digital Assets
I refer to estate planning as the process of organizing one’s personal and financial affairs in such a way as to minimize disruption, cost and taxes upon the death or disability of a person. You don’t need a lot of money to have an estate plan. All that’s needed are people you care about and…
Making Cents: Divorce and Money
It’s no secret that many couples end up airing their grievances in court. About 50% of our married population ends up in divorce, with second marriages showing a higher rate of divorce at around 65%. Rarely looked back upon with fond memories, the battling and legal costs associated with divorce brings anguish. Almost as rare…
Making Cents: Does Using an Entity To Own Property Provide Protection?
As with many things financial, the answer is maybe. The type of protection and the type of entity you are using will determine just how protected your assets are from potential problems. A very common example is the ownership of rental real estate. If you own rental real estate in your own name, and someone…
Making Cents: Is Retirement All It Is Cracked Up To Be?
According to a business owner who recently failed at retirement, ‘retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be’. For this individual, it wasn’t about the money, it was about the feeling of loss once he wasn’t the boss and in control. He felt as if his purpose in life had simply disappeared. This is more…
Making Cents: Real World Finance for your College Graduate
As another college graduating class enters the real world, please use this opportunity to give them the only formal lesson they likely didn’t get in college. That lesson is real world finance 101 and how to live fiscally responsibly and within your means. There are many new grads looking for work related to their newly…
Making Cents: Sometimes Irrevocable Is Good
When it comes to implementing an estate plan, the word irrevocable is a common part of the discussion. While it may sound scary to do anything irrevocable, in estate planning there are several instances where it may make sense. The first of these may be for asset protection purposes. When assets are left outright to…
Making Cents: Preparing to Sell Your Home
With the arrival of spring, now’s the time when many who have thought about selling a house get a little more serious. If the house needs some work to get the attention of today’s buyers, speak to a professional about which repairs may give you the best return on your investment. That professional could be…
Making Cents: The Rule of 168
The rule of 168 isn’t some fancy way of seeing how fast your money doubles or a code section from the IRS, it is a law of life. The law is that there are only 168 hours in a week, and you need to use them wisely if you want to live the ideal life…
Spring Has Sprung
Maybe a day earlier than many remember, but at 3/20 just after 11 PM, the Spring Equinox is upon us! All that really means is that the days are now longer than the nights, and for many of us that is a welcoming sight. This is officially my 68th spring, and I think that it…
Making Cents: Temporary Renting of your Personal Real Estate Has Many Possible Risks
Whether it’s called home or room sharing, short term rental arrangements (or whatever the regulators ultimately call it), millions of people have jumped on the bandwagon of either renting or advertising rooms for rent for as short as a single night. This may work wonders for your cash flow if you need extra money, but…