If you are like many people, you may easily spend hundreds of dollars or more on holiday gifts and related holiday purchases each year. Some sources (For example, Forbes)indicate that consumers may spend more money over the holiday season this year than they have in previous years. The cost of gifts is only one seasonable expense. For example, you may have plans to host a party, travel or decorate the house elaborately. When you are preparing to spend a large sum of money within a short period, financial planning is necessary. Some people may be thinking about taking money out …

Internal Revenue Service has come with an initiative to assist elderly taxpayers. Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) would feature individuals of 60 years and above only. There have been Cooperative agreements between IRS and relevant organizations that would work annually during the taxation period for the initiative’s success. Some community partners taking part include non-profit agencies, faith-based organizations, community centers and large employers. This in-place training, which provides free tax help will be initiated for low-income individuals who need assistance filing their tax returns. IRS provides funds for organizations to compensate volunteers for some of their out-of-pocket expenses, including …

Getting older has its nuisances as your health starts to decline, eyesight and hearing can deteriorate, you start having aches and pains in unexpected body parts. However, it does have its perks. Some of those benefits are in the form of tax breaks that come as you get older. Seniors have a larger tax deduction. If you are over 65, you get a $1,550 higher standard deduction than someone younger. Furthermore, if your total income as an individual is less than $25,000, you do not pay any taxes on your Social Security. While above that, you start paying income taxes …

After working hard and building a little wealth, it’s incumbent on you to do what’s necessary to protect that which you have accumulated. There are several ways you can protect your wealth, including making wise investments that will help your nest egg grow. As you contemplate how to grow and protect your wealth in the future, you should always have your eye on retirement. The last thing you want to experience is establishing a pleasant standard of living, only to have to live with less in your golden years.  The rest of this discussion is going to focus on estate …

For many people, the dream of traveling in retirement is strong. You may want to plan trips to see your adult kids and grandkids a few times per year, and you likewise may have bucket list trips in mind. Because you do not have a job to rush back home to, retirement is an excellent time of life to travel more. However, many people do not wisely budget for their trips. This inevitably means that trips simply do not happen or that financial stress makes them less enjoyable. Learning how to budget properly for your trips is essential if you …

No matter what your age is, it’s important to start preparing for the time when you eventually retire. One of the biggest financial issues you may encounter while you’re ready to stop working is how much money you will need for your health care. In general, this can be a sizable amount. On average, a person of 65 would need around $190,000 to pay for costs related to their health. This estimate doesn’t even take into account any preexisting chronic conditions or disabilities. Unfortunately, one mistake people often make regarding retiring is believing that once they reach the age of …

Falling is a threat millions of aging Americans face, especially those 65 and up. At least one in four elderly people will suffer a fall each year. The CDC analyzed data from a 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey and found that suffering one fall doubles an elderly person’s chance of having a repeat fall. The survey also showed that only half of the falls that occur each year are discussed with a health care provider.  Falls Are Costly And Can Result In Serious Injury  From head injuries to broken bones, it’s estimated that one in five falls …

At the beginning of each New Year, individuals commonly take stock of various aspects of their lives. One of the frequently reviewed primary areas is personal finance. If you are thinking about retiring within the next few years or longer, you may want to create a resolution or two so that you can better plan for your non-working years. However, some people believe that it is simply too late for any type of plan to be effective or beneficial. While it is better to start preparing for non-working years early in your adult years, starting now is better than not …

If you are like many people, you are probably looking forward to the time when you can retire. It marks the end of an era and serves as a reward for all the hard work you have done over the years. Retirement is a time you can truly enjoy yourself and reap the rewards of all those years of being in the workforce, no matter what your chosen profession. There are still more reasons you’ll love being retired. These are the 10 most notable. 1. Less Stress Being retired means you no longer have all the same obligations as when …

How To Get Rid Of Your Accumulated Medical Debt In A Few Easy Steps Retirement planning and medical debt often go hand-in-hand. We try our best to save up money to use during our golden years. A nice little nest egg when we turn 65 and older sounds nice to lean back on. Unfortunately, our medical debt sometimes gets in the way. We sometimes forgo the care we need because we do not want to touch our retirement savings. We spend our whole lives planning, only to have it taken away from us in one split second.  We feel guilty …