Build Your Wealth: Personal Finance & Investing Insights

Forbes Tax planning Traditional IRA Updated for 2021

Avoid the Double Tax Trap When Making Non-Deductible IRA Contributions

Anyone with earned income can make a non-deductible (after tax) contribution to an IRA and benefit from tax-deferred growth. But it may not be worth it due (in part) to often overlooked ongoing recordkeeping requirements. For many, the biggest risk and most common downfall is significant: paying taxes again when…

Kristin McKennaJuly 13, 2021

Retirement Planning Roth IRA Tax planning Updated for 2021

Explaining the Backdoor Roth and Mega Backdoor Roth IRA

Many individuals have heard of the backdoor Roth before, but the mega backdoor Roth is getting a lot of attention recently. Here are the differences between the regular backdoor Roth vs the mega backdoor Roth, who can use these strategies, and who may actually want to consider them. (more…)

Kristin McKennaJuly 6, 2021

Diversification Forbes Investing Managing Risk

Is Bigger Better? Stocks Tend to Underperform After Joining Top 10

With the dominance of the largest U.S. stocks often occupying headlines, it's worth remembering that the biggest companies don't always produce the best returns. In fact, according to research from Dimensional Fund Advisors, historically, stocks tend to underperform after entering the top 10 largest stocks by market capitalization. On average,…

Kristin McKennaJune 14, 2021

Business owners Forbes

How to Sell Your Business: What to Do Before, During, and After the Sale

The time has finally come: you're ready to sell your business. Planning for the sale of a small business may seem daunting. Perhaps you're not sure where to begin or how to go about selling a business. To make the process as easy and profitable as possible, you'll want to…

Kristin McKennaMay 24, 2021

Current events Investing Tax & Estate Planning Tax planning Updated for 2021

Will Tax Hikes Hurt Stocks? Impact of Tax Rates on the S&P 500

Between the Biden tax plans and other bills already before Congress, it's likely that some level of tax legislation will make its way into law before 2022. For investors, there's a concern that tax hikes will hurt stocks, a reasonable conclusion. But historically, tax rates have mostly moved independently from…

Kristin McKennaMay 11, 2021

401(k) Plans 403(b) Plans Forbes Retirement Planning Secure Act SEP IRA Traditional IRA Updated for 2021

4 Ways the Secure Act 2.0 Would Change Retirement Planning

If passed, the 'Secure Act 2.0' would significantly alter the retirement landscape. Officially called the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2021, the bill is essentially a follow up to the 2019 Secure Act. After passing the House Ways and Means Committee yesterday, the proposed legislation is now going to…

Kristin McKennaMay 10, 2021

Brokerage Account Building Wealth Diversification Forbes Investing Managing Risk

Trading vs. Investing: Which Is Better for Long-Term Goals?

Tesla, GameStop, Hertz, Dogecoin: retail traders continue to dominate headlines in the financial news media. Some individuals may be wondering, how is trading different from investing and which is better? For investors saving for long-term goals like retirement, placing speculative bets on single stocks rarely makes sense. But that doesn't…

Kristin McKennaMay 3, 2021

Business owners Cash Management Financial Planning Investing Tax & Estate Planning

What To Do With The Money From The Sale Of Your Business

After selling your business, you may receive a lump sum in cash. Deciding how to allocate and invest the proceeds after selling your business is a big decision that requires careful planning. If you are expecting a sudden windfall, develop a plan to invest the money so you're not sitting…

Kristin McKennaApril 26, 2021

IPO Stock options Updated for 2021

What Happens to Stock Options in a SPAC Merger?

Although the most common way for a company to go public is through the traditional initial public offering (IPO) process, it's not the only method. Although SPACs (special purpose acquisition companies) were first created in 1993, they've recently became a very popular way for a company to go public. This…

Kristin McKennaApril 19, 2021

Forbes Investing Retirement Planning

Only 27% of Workers Say They’re on Track for Retirement. Where Do You Stand?

According to a recent survey of U.S. households by Schroders, only 27% of respondents who were still working reported 'very good' and 'fully on track' when asked how they feel about their retirement planning. Even more alarming, only 18% of workers between age 60 - 67 say the same. But…

Kristin McKennaApril 12, 2021