Be Careful of Student Loan Debt Forgiveness Scams
If you, a loved one, or a friend want help paying down student loan debt, there are legitimate ways to do it quickly. There is a recent bankruptcy case (Rosenberg) that made national news when it comes to discharging Student Loan Debt (SLD). This case has already emboldened scammers touting that they can help students eliminate their debt through bankruptcy […]
Saving for College or Retirement – What Parents Need to Know
It’s tough being a parent today. Most parents would like to give some kind of financial help to their children who want to go to college. But the costs of college today is very high as compared to the past decades. Let’s take a look at the cost to go to college for four years: In-State School Starting in […]
We’re Grateful For The Peace of Mind We Get From Planning Ahead
This message is going to be quick because we know you’re busy getting ready for the holiday with friends and family. At Aspen Creek Financial, we are grateful for the peace of mind we’re able to provide to our clients when they’re planning for retirement and their financial future. If peace of mind is […]
The Millionaire Next Door
As a general rule, I’m not a huge fan of most financial books. I find most to be sales books for the author or have content that I don’t agree with. However, there are some good books out there that I’ll point out sometimes in my posts as suggested reading. As I was thinking […]
How to Receive Early Distributions from an IRA without Penalty
When most people think of taking money out of a non-Roth IRA (Individual Retirement Account), they think of the 59½ rule. What’s the 59½ rule? It means that if you take a withdrawal from an IRA before age 59½ you will get hit with a 10% penalty for early withdrawals! The 59½ rule prevents […]
Income Tax Planning – What Tax Bracket Will You Likely Be in in Retirement?
What income tax bracket do you think you will be in when you retire? Well…, before you answer that, let’s take a look at the two key factors that could affect the answer. What state will you be living in when you retire? Some people will stay in the state they are currently living […]
4 Out of 5 Workers Express Interest in Guaranteed Lifetime Income Products
There is an annual study that comes out every year by the Employer Benefit Research Institute and it always has many interesting stats. The one that jumped out at me this year was the fact that 4 out of 5 employees were interested in products that would provide a guaranteed income for life (GIFL). Why is that? I’ll explore the […]
Why Financial Plans from 30 Years Ago Failed—Don’t Make the Same Mistake
Financial planning is not a new phenomenon. It’s been around for 50+ years. While financial planning has been around a long time, the question is whether most financial plans accomplished the goals they set out to achieve. Typical Financial Planning Financial plans will vary depending on age (years until retirement), income level, desired lifestyle […]
The “Coolest” Calculator to Determine Actual Fees in Mutual Funds
I’m a big fan of using calculators to help clients determine the “real-world” math supporting the use of various wealth-building tools. One of my favorite software tools is the OnPointe Investment Risk Analyzer program. The software helps consumers determine their own individual investment risk tolerance and then can be used to score investments and […]