Tag Archives: Financial Planning

Build a Nest Egg with Real Estate Retirement Options

Author : Tasha Gill

Investigate Your Options

Your 401K plan may not offer real estate, but you can own real estate within your retirement plan There are a few things you should understand first Since retirement plans are considered long-term investments, you will only be able to invest for income and appreciation You will not able to deduct depreciation as with a taxable investment

It is recommended that you speak with a tax consultant before making any changes Because this is a complex matter, you should not try to do this on your own If not done correctly, it could create major tax problems for you down the road

Know the Law

The law allows your qualified plan to own any kind of real estate You can invest in single family homes, multiple units, co-ops, apartment buildings, condos, and land You can also invest in real estate investment trusts, but the overhead is high, so this may not be a good idea

If you purchase property for your IRA, the income and appreciation builds and is tax-free until the time you start taking withdrawals Keep in mind that there is a special tax on debt-financed income in retirement plans called “UBIT”– Unrelated Business Income Tax If the real estate is mortgaged, you must file a 990-T Form with the Internal Revenue Service This allocates the income earned between debt and non-debt financing, and the tax due The way the UBIT works is you are able to shelter 70% of your income and the rest of the income from the property is subject to regular income tax rates

Things You Should Know

You cannot transfer property that you already own into a retirement account You cannot buy property, such as a vacation home and rent it yourself This is called “self-dealing” and is not allowed This applies to your family members as well So you cannot purchase property and rent it out to members of your family

Cash Transactions Are Best

Because of the UBIT, cash transactions are the easiest to work with If you don’t have enough cash, your retirement plan can purchase a partial interest on the property or a “tenant in common interest ” You can also borrow the money to finance the property and pay the UBIT

Two great advantages of investing in real estate for your retirement plan are the potential for high rate of return and the overall lower risk If you want to protect your nest egg from the ever-changing stock market, investing in real estate is a wise decision

This article was submitted by http://www.junkhouseriches.com
Junk House Riches is a investment company based out of Utah and making its self known through out the country even in Canada. We buy & sell foreclosed homes that we service to investors, as well as get occupants in the homes that will attend our Free Homeowners workshop. We love teaching others how to make a living too, at our Junk House Riches boot camps.

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Individual Retirement Account Rollovers

Author : Peter Kenny

IRA’s (Individual Retirement Account) are very popular these days, but there is often some confusion as to what a person can and cannot do in terms of rolling the account over This article will examine a few of the common issues associated with IRA rollovers It is important to understand that IRA rules change often, so the reader is encouraged to check with current sources before making any final decisions concerning his or her IRA

In most cases, employees have two choices when it comes to saving money for retirement They can participate in a company sponsored 401(k) program or they may have the other option of participating in an IRA program

These plans both involve putting money aside (usually a percentage of your income) into a tax-deferred account, but an IRA works more like a personal savings account than the 401(k) programs With an IRA, when an employee decides to retire, quit, or change jobs, he or she can receive the money saved in an IRA as one lump sum This is known as an IRA rollover What the person does with that money is the key to good IRA management

One thing you can do with the money is to convert it into a more beneficial retirement account known as a Roth IRA A Roth IRA allows you to borrow against the balance with fewer restrictions than those imposed on a standard IRA A company-sponsored 401(k) plan, by comparison, places severe restrictions on employee access to accounts

You do not have to take an IRA rollover even if you retire or leave the company In other words, you cannot be forced to take the money out of the account If you wish, the account can remain with the original company until you reache retirement age even if you are working with another company at the time

For those who want to move their account, most employees have 60 days from the time of termination to re-invest their IRA rollover into a new account or investment plan There are some issues associated with this, however, so make sure you get expert advice before deciding on what to do

All IRA account holders should understand that if they elect to keep their account with a former employer and the company goes bankrupt or hits severe financial problems their money may be lost Keep in mind that often employers change locations over time, and this can make it hard for you to keep up with where they are (and where your money is) By taking the IRA rollover at termination you can transfer the money directly into a new account, reducing your need to keep up with your past employer’s location and financial state

As mentioned earlier in this article, IRA rules have a tendency to change often and it is your responsibility to keep abreast of what is new and current If you find that you are facing an IRA rollover, seek the advice of a professional who can show you the options that you have and help you make the best decision concerning where to put your savings

Peter Kenny is a writer for The Thrifty Scot, please visit us at Mortgages and Loans

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Insuring Yourself In a Changing Economy

Author : Pat Carpenter

It began with phasing company funded retirements out and phasing 401ks in Now the new trend in corporate America is for employees to purchase their own health insurance benefits In fact, there are some businesses in Dallas and Houston that have begun replacing employer paid healthcare benefits with voluntary individual coverage

Because of the increasing financial burden placed on businesses, from large to medium to small, experts are predicting that eventually Texans will have to buy many of the health benefits they currently get at little or no cost through their employer

In the meantime, it’s hard to beat the typical cost of an employee’s share of healthcare benefits offered by employers So consumer advocate experts recommend that employees consider the pros and cons of employer benefits versus individual health coverage Many experts are advising a move to Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs, where qualified high-deductible health insurance policies cover large medical bills and an investment account is used to withdraw money tax-free for medical care

Another area of voluntary health benefits that’s quickly growing is a downsized version of a health plan called limited-benefit medical insurance This kind of individual health insurance is typically offered to part-time or temporary workers who aren’t eligible for a company’s comprehensive group medical benefits This stripped down version generally offers coverage for routine and preventive services with little to no co-payments Medical visits may be limited to four to five annually, and benefits may be capped at as little as $2,000 a year If medical services, such as surgery and hospitalization are involved, they most probably aren’t covered or they also have low benefit caps

While limited-benefit plans are an affordable alternative to not having health insurance, many people are critical of these plans because there is a risk of catastrophic hospital bills when medical care goes beyond the policy’s offerings Industry experts recommend this plan only if comprehensive coverage is unaffordable or can’t be obtained through a spouse, parent or another source

Other benefits attracting some attention are insurance policies that pay cash benefits for specific conditions, such as cancer, heart disease and stroke These policies pay a one-time benefit upon first-time diagnosis if, for example, a worker is diagnosed with skin cancer Such a policy pays limited cash benefits for treatments and nursing care Consumer groups, as well as financial advisors, recommend not buying these policies to replace a comprehensive medical or disability plan because of their specificity These types of policies also have long waiting periods and a variety of exclusions for pre-existing conditions

With the evolving nature of employee benefits, you should take a look at the revolutionary comprehensive individual health insurance solutions created by companies specifically for young, healthy individuals

Pat Carpenter writes for Precedent Insurance Company. Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at Precedent.com

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What Are The Common 401 k Mistakes

Author : Paul Hata

Believe it or not there are many mistakes that can be made along the way when it comes to financial retirement savings and investing Unfortunately a good many of these mistakes center around the 401(k), which can be a tremendous boost to your retirement plans when used properly in order to build your portfolio

The problem is that the mistakes are often the only things we hear when it comes to retirement plans and investing I suggest begin with the mistakes so that we can move along to better information and advice in the near future

The first and perhaps largest mistakes that people make when it comes to 401 (k) plans is not signing up Yes you heard that right What people do not understand is that this is something your employer offers so that you can have some security for your future

It is a manner of saving money for your future that shouldn’t be overlooked or taken for granted Even a bad 401 (k) plan is better than no 401 (k) and with strict regulations those are few and far between More importantly, if your company offers to match the funds in your 401 (k) plan not taking them up on that offer is literally tossing money in the garbage can

The next big mistake when it comes to your 401 (k) is risking too little Rewards come with risk If you aren’t taking any risks with your investment then you are by and large throwing money down the drain

In addition to that, it is nearly impossible to meet your retirement goals without taking some risks, and some hits along the way This doesn’t mean you should be reckless but along the way you are going to need to take some calculated risks in order to receive the bigger payouts that most of us hope for when investing in their retirement funds

Risking too much There are many risks involved when investing in the stock market There are a few that deserve a little more mention than others First of all, stocks present a fairly large risk, particularly to the uninitiated

While it is true that great rewards are most often the product of great risks you do not want to risk the bulk of your retirement by investing it all in stocks Another thing you want to avoid doing if at all possible is investing in your company stock We’ve seen too many lives destroyed when companies go under taking the financial stability of their employees along with them

Many companies offer incentives to employees for investing in their stock, which may be tempting but I recommend investing as little as possible in your company stock whenever possible as this could lead to problems down the road

Finally, the worst thing you can do for the health of your 401 (k) is borrow against it There are so many ways in which this could go wrong and the penalties for this are more than a little prohibitive

They are designed to be that way so that you will use the funds for their intended purpose If you absolutely have no other option is the only way I would recommend borrowing against your 401 (k) and I would seriously consider selling a kidney before doing that

When it comes to your financial retirement, 401 (k) mistakes can be far more costly than you may realize Work to avoid these common mistakes and you should be well on your way to a successful retirement

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4 Ways That Can Make You Rich

Author : Paul Hata

Saving has always been a way of life for people who believed on its power These people know that they have to save more money in order to create a more established future

However, as time goes by, more and more people find it hard to save money They contend that saving is no longer a way of life but a resolution that they have to strictly adhere to just to salt away some amount of money

Some people even insist that it is no longer possible for a person to save more money because most of them are already living paycheck to paycheck With all the high-prices of commodities these days, saving more money is no longer workable

But the point is that people can indeed save more How? Here is a list of some modern ways that will let you save more money:

1 Save some percentage from your salary

Most money-savers automatically take at least 30% from their salary and save them into their savings account The basic concept here is that most of us spend whatever amount we have on our paycheck, and maybe even more If you are able to limit that amount, your expenses will unexplainably get smaller

2 Pay everything in cash

Credit cards had always been a way of life for most consumers The problem is that they become so comfortable with it that they tend to spend everything on credit In fact, statistics show that the average family has an average outstanding balance on their credit cards amounting to $7,000 And they even pay almost $1,000 in each year just on the interest charges alone

Hence, because of this comfortable shopping, they forget to keep track of their expenses and accumulate more payables than what they can afford to pay

3 Set goals

Create goals that you really want and not be fickle-minded about it If there’s a certain amount involved, be specific with the amount, like saying I will save $5,000 in a year and not around $5,000 Try to set your goals based on your priorities Have a period for every goal

4 Check your company’s retirement plan

With your employer plan such as the 401(k) or the 403(b), you can definitely save more money for the future Here, your company will deduct a percentage of your salary from each paycheck and invest the amount in your choice of instruments mainly mutual funds

The bottom line is that saving is not just a way of life or a resolution It’s the ultimate gratification that you get as a fruit of your labor

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Looking For Retirement Fund Options

Author : Kristi Ambrose

Most people who are planning their retirement have a company sponsored plan that is set up to work with the stock market for growth The company is also supposed to match their contributions up to a certain percentage However, since the fall of the stock market, many people have unfortunately lost their nest egg, part of their funds or haven’t even begun their investment yet Many also saw their company matching percentages drop If you are one of those people mentioned above, perhaps you took out your money Or you took a risk with day trading and haven’t made out due to the fluctuations in the stock market

Then again, maybe you’re one of many unemployed who has tried several work-at-home prospects that fell through, believing that an opportunity existed in something that didn’t work as the economy sunk You can achieve better returns than 401-k

Returns of as high as 10-12% are possible Nothing is impossible when you utilize the right skills and invest properly Fortunately there is a better way than stocks, bonds, bank accounts, CDs, IRA & 401-K Plans that have been invested in for centuries and will always prove its worth (despite all the doom and gloom ) Your investment backed by real estate is in the most stable market there is Especially when you buy the older homes that can be resold easily

Real Estate Investing is foolproof for those who invest in real estate and know how to manage property Don’t let the media fuel you with its negativity Everyone needs a home and most people buy their first home after college when they are setting up their lives and careers This year, President Obama is going to grant new home buyers an $8,000 00 tax credit This means that more people are going to buy homes, especially since sale prices have plummeted

In February, home sales across the country have risen! Private Investors are less of a risk than any other capitalist venture Especially if you assess your home buyers ahead of time You can choose to sell your home to those who aren’t in a high risk line of work, meaning that you can determine your home buyers in the top ten fields of employment that are booming You can research jobs that are in a particular area with websites and buy a home that is close to the locations of the job sites (hospitals, medical clinics, etc ) and those who might not want to buy just yet will want to rent or rent-to-own

You can still discern who you want to live in the houses you are leasing if you take that route And it can be beneficial to those who lost their homes in the housing bubble blowout There will always be money in houses Are you going to seek the opportunity or watch someone else do it instead?

This Author is a huge fan of fair prices paid for homes nationwide

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Eight Money Management Essentials

Author : Liz Roberts

Efficient money management doesn’t need to be complicated However, although the steps may be simple, it requires a lot of self-control and determination Let’s discuss the 10 basic rules on how you can take better control of your finances and avoid debt problems

1 Be aware of your financial situation Having a realistic view of your financial situation can help you make better financial decisions To get an accurate evaluation, calculate all your monthly expenses- from the largest down to the smallest cent Add up all your expenditures and compare the result from your monthly income Is there money left to pay off your debts? Is there enough money left to put in your savings?

2 Be aware of your debts Exactly how much debt do you owe your creditors? Obtain a copy of your credit report and carefully check your charges If there are incorrect charges in your report, you can dispute them with your creditor or with the credit bureaus If all charges in your accounts are correct, determine the exact amount of debt have and create a repayment plan

3 Save your money This may seem obvious but surprisingly, many people tend to overlook or neglect this important step Each month, make it a habit to set aside a portion of your salary for your savings account You should also set aside your personal emergency fund that you can use for unexpected expenses

4 Prioritize your expenses You should first pay attention to your necessities If your income is not enough to cover for all your expenditures, you may need to give up the less important or unimportant things For instance, you may choose to subscribe to a lower plan of internet, cable or cell phone Remember, making small sacrifices saves you from the pain and trouble that bad debt can bring

5 Exercise control with your credit card use If you have credit cards, use them with caution Make it a point to pay off your balance completely before charging new purchases Use your card only for important purchases If you must use your card, avoid the additional interest rate and late penalty charges by paying off your entire balance before your due date

6 Pay all your bills on time Late payments can significantly add up to your expenses You can avoid all these extra costs by simply submitting your payments on time In case you can’t make it on your deadline, call your creditor right away and inform them of your situation Ask for an extension Most creditors would give consideration if you notify them in advance

7 Set long-term goals What about your long terms goals? Financial experts advice securing personal and medical insurance coverage for you and your family Contribute to your retirement plan especially if your employer offers a 401kfund

8 Create a realistic budget Budgeting your monthly income is essential Divide your income between your debts, utility bills, personal expenses and savings A budget plan would help you consider which costs you can slash off from your list

Liz Roberts is a freelance writer and loan consultant. The website BadCreditResources.com offers resources that specialize in providing bad credit loans and credit cards for bad credit.

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5 Things That Will Make You Rich

Author : Frank Vandy

Ok, maybe not rich, but doing these 5 things today will save you a ton of money and over time will put a significant amount of money back in your pocket

Know your credit score: How can knowing your credit score save you money? Simple, having a good credit score means that you will get the best rate on any loan you are looking to take out This can mean the difference of hundreds of dollars per month If there are things in your credit score that are hurting your score, you need to know about them so that you can get them fixed If you are going to choose a service to give you your score, make sure that they use the FICO score as this is what most of your creditors use

Increase your Returns: Do you have most of your money sitting in a low interest checking account? Shop around and look for a higher rate For example, a checking account with HSBC recently paid over a 5% interest rate That could mean as much as a 500% increase over your current return

Lower your credit card rate: Do you think you are paying too much interest on your credit card? Do you know the easiest way to lower your rate? Pick up the phone, call your credit card company and ask them to lower your rate It is really that easy A recent study showed that 9 out of 10 customers had their rates lowered when the credit card company felt that they would leave them and go to a different company It never hurts to ask

Add to your 401(k): If your company offers a 401k, you should be putting as much money into that fund as possible Not only is the money that you put into that fund pre-tax money, but many companies will match the money you put in up to a certain level So for example, let’s say you put $200 a month into your fund Your company will match that $200 per month, so that you are actually putting $400 a month into the fund As an added bonus, you don’t have to pay taxes on the $200 until you take the money out years down the line By that point you have hopefully made a lot more on your investment

Stop paying late fees: Have you ever forgot to pay your credit card bill and got hit with one of those enormous late fees? A couple of those a year can really hurt your finances Most companies now offer online reminders of when you bills are coming due and you can even automatically pay your bill online It takes about 5 minutes to sign up and then a friendly reminder will be delivered to your email about 10 days before your bill is due

All total, these five steps will take you about a half an hour to set up, but they can pay you back many, many times over Always be on the lookout for ways you can save money and then look to invest that money back into something else

Frank Vandy has trained hundreds of men and women and gotten real-world results. Learn the truth about weight loss diets by going to http://weight–loss–diets.com

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