Roth IRA Conversion Calculators: Should You Convert?

2010 is the year of the mighty Roth IRA conversion and many boomers are wondering if it’s the right thing to do.  The sound of tax-free money is a sweet lullaby, but is it worth the up front tax expense?

photo credit: alancleaver_2000
Everybody’s situation is different and it’s hard to say if it’s right for [...]

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Zecco Review: Got to Love Free Stock Trades!

by Junior Boomer on March 10, 2010

Fees. Fees. Fees. We all pay them. We all wish we didn’t. You pay fees for insurance. You pay fees at your bank. You pay fees for health-care. Sometimes I feel like I pay a fee to press snooze on my alarm clock. Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to pay a fee for once? Congratulations boomers and investors alike- I have a solution! What about opening an account at online discount broker Zecco? That’s right. If you meet certain requirements you can enjoy free stock trading. That’s almost exciting as McDonald’s bringing back the Filet-O-Fish! Well, almost :)

Are you ready to enjoy $0 stock trades at Zecco!  Yes, it’s that easy. You can thank me later.

How Do You Get Free Trades With Zecco?

If you’ve ever bought a stock through one of the major brokerage firms (Morgan Stanley, Edward Jones, Wells Fargo), then you know how expensive it can be.  You’ll pay a minimum of $40-$50 when you a buy stock and another $40-$50 when you sell it.  So as long as you happen to find the next Google, you might actually stand to make some money.

You can save a significant amount by going through an online brokerage.  The common trade will run you from $4.50 to $10- a huge savings than compared to wirehouses.
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Home Security Systems – Things a Burglar Won’t tell you!

by Papa Boomer on March 9, 2010

Do you need a Home Security System? Before you contact ADT Home Security, Brinks, Ingrid, Protect America, Honeywell, or GE you need to consider the following:

The Code Please?
Creative Commons License photo credit: thisisshane

Have you ever wondered how burglars determine where to burgle, how to get in, and what to take?  It is simpler for them than you may think.  Here are things all of us need to think about everytime we answer the door or leave the house.  If all else fails and you find someone inside your home that doesn’t belong then hit them in the eyes with the wasp spray!  Yeah the wasp spray!  [click to continue…]

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Should You Invest With Lending Club or Is It Too Risky?

March 9, 2010

Do the words “Stock Market” make you cringe? Did you see your 401k get slashed into a 201k? Are your bank CD’s paying pennies on the dollars?  Are you interested in potentially making 9.65% on your money? If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, then it might be time to invest into [...]

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Doh! Avoid These Retirement Blunders

March 7, 2010

When it comes to planning for retirement, don’t pull a Homer J. Simpson “Doh!” moment and make a costly move. Unfortunately, when it comes to making key decisions for retirement, you only got one shot- so you better make it count! Don’t dismiss how much time it takes to plan a successful [...]

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Plutus Awards Nomination- Best Retirement Blog!

March 6, 2010

What an honor to be nominated in the first annual Plutus Awards for best retirement blog. It’s going to be a tough one to win because we’re included with some great company.   Check out some of these other great retirement blogs:

Go To Retirement
Good Financial Cents
Tough Money Love
Wealth Pilgrim

Congrats to the other nominees and good luck [...]

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Don’t Miss The IRA Contribution Deadline For 2010

March 4, 2010

Don’t miss the IRA contribution deadline! Make sure you make your 2009 IRA contribution before April 15! With stocks performing so well these days, fully funding your IRA for 2009 (and 2010) could mean a tremendous boost toward saving for retirement.  If your investment portfolio took a hit like everybody’s else’s did, then you don’t [...]

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Should Retirees Consider Reverse Mortgages?

March 2, 2010

The reverse mortgage has become one of the more popular retirement planning tools in recent years. Reverse mortgages are sought after because they can provide an income source for retirees who have built up a great deal of equity in their homes. However, before you decide to take the plunge with a reverse mortgage, you [...]

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How Much Retirement Income Should You Withdraw?

March 1, 2010

What is the safe withdrawal amount in retirement?  It’s a topic that many of the top financial professionals debate on an ongoing basis.   Most all agree that the first couple years beginning retirement are the most crucial.   Many new retirees either tend to spend too much too fast, or market conditions like 2008 wreak havoc [...]

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Should You Invest Into Preferred Stocks?

February 25, 2010

Dividends are an essential part of a Boomer’s income stream in retirement.  Unfortunately, many stocks that used to pay handsome dividends have either dropped significantly or have been eliminated all together.  One solution as an alternative is investing into preferred stocks.   What exactly are preferred stocks?  Preferred stock are typically considered to be “hybrid” investments.   [...]

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Do You Have Enough Homeowner’s Insurance Coverage

February 24, 2010

Whether you’ve just bought a new home or you recently made some home improvements, chances are you may not have enough homeowner’s insurance.  A staggering report says that 59% of American homeowners don’t have enough insurance to rebuild in case there were to lose that home.  With recent worldly disasters such as the earthquake in [...]

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New Credit Card Laws 2010: Maybe not be what it was cracked up to be!

February 23, 2010

As I’m sure you’ve heard by now, there is a new federal credit card law that finally just went into effect February 22, 2010.  The intent to these credit card law changes was to add protection for consumers, but according to this Boomer, they have missed the mark by a mile.  Here’s a some reasons [...]

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