This week, I’m hosting the blogging Carnival of Retirement. Here are several good reads on finance and investing.
If you operate a blog, you can submit articles for future carnivals at the submission page on Blogger Carnivals.
Michael Kitces @ Nerd’s Eye View writes Harvesting Losses Or Harvesting Gains – Planning Around Four Long-Term Capital Gains Tax Rates – Traditional tax planning for portfolios has been relatively straightforward – defer taxes on gains as long as possible, and harvest capital losses to further maximize the benefit. In today’s world, though, with a new top capital gains tax rate, and a Medicare surtax, along with a 0% rate for couples up to $70,000 of income, the reality is that it may often be better to harvest the gains on investments, not the losses!
Robert @ Entrepreneurship Life writes The Benefits of a PO Box for Small Businesses – I have several small businesses that I operate outside of my day job. For each of those, including a flash mob company and blogging business, I use a PO Box for my address instead of my home address. I think that is an important protection and I encourage all business owners that don’t have a physical office to do the same.
Michael @ Financial Ramblings writes Roll Your IRA into a 401(k)? – Much has been written about the virtues of rolling over your 401(k) into an IRA. But what about doing the opposite? Believe it or not, there are cases in which you might want to roll IRA funds into a 401(k) plan.
Lance @ Money Life and More writes Chase Freedom 5% Cash Back Categories For April, May and June 2013 – Chase Freedom is one of the most awesome cash back credit cards and I use it on a regular basis. They offer 5% cash back in categories that rotate each quarter. I almost always use my Chase Freedom card whenever I make a transaction in one of these categories because 5% cash back is very hard to beat.
Roger Wohlner @ The Chicago Financial Planner writes Investing Seminars – Should You Attend? – Today an invitation to an investment seminar from a major brokerage firm came in the mail. Besides the free dinner is there a benefit to attending these types of sessions?
Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes Five Things to Look For in a Real Estate Investment Trust – There are five factors I analyze at a REIT, before putting my money to work in the sector. I used three REIT’s I own in this exercise in order to illustrate my strategy in action.
Bryan @ Gajizmo.com writes Highest Paying Jobs For Women – Gender inequality is still an issue in America, but there are still certain careers that minimize the compensation gap and offer men and women relatively the same advancement. Healthcare continues to dominate the list of best paying industries for women, but what other jobs offer the highest pay?
Rich @ Growing Money Smart writes My Portfolio Was Up While The Dow Was Down 100 – Nothing is more satisfying that checking your portfolio and noticing that it’s up over 1k while the DOW is down 100 basis points! What an awesome feeling! For the most part it’s a fluke, but I’ll take it. The stocks that gave me the rise were AIG and VIPS, both very different in nature.
Suba @ Broke Professionals writes Was My History Degree Worthless? – I get a lot of flack for having what some consider to be a worthless degree in history. But I’d argue the humanities are vital to true success as a person.
Debt Guru @ Debt Free Blog writes Popular Types of Debt and How to Avoid Them – Running into debt problems? There's a good chance it's one of these three popular types of debt. Read here to find out how to avoid these common problems!
A Blinkin @ Funancials writes Americans Hate Honesty, Prefer To Be Lied To – Cyprus is the latest country to face financial meltdown. In order to receive a bailout from the European Union, the President has agreed to a few terms. Initially, it was proposed that all bank deposits be taxed 6.75% (under 100k) and 9.9% (above 100k). This caused an uproar (obviously) as depositors raced to the banks to withdraw their deposits.
Judy @ TLIQ123 writes No Exam Life Insurance – If you aren’t in the best shape, smoke, drink or maintain a lifestyle that some may consider dangerous, it is going to be difficult for you to purchase traditional life insurance to protect your family. In these situations, individuals usually apply for no medical exam life insurance to avoid a physical exam by a doctor during the application process. Learn more about how anyone can get life insurance.
Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Where to Find Truly Free Music, Free Digital Prints, and Free eBooks Online! – Where to Find Truly Free Music, Free Digital Prints, and Free eBooks Online!
CAPI @ Creating a Passive Income writes Fact or Fiction: 5 Passive Income Myths – Looking into starting a passive income? Before you try, it's important to know the facts and falsehoods. Here are 5 passive income myths and tips.
Tony @ We Only Do This Once writes How to Deal with Detractors – We have all had them as we set and go after our goals, no matter where we are or what our goals may be: naysayers, detractors, people who poke fun or get angry or tell us we can’t do it. I have been a detractor (not proud to write that) in the past, so I can say first hand that it comes from a place of low self esteem…and misery certainly loves company.
Mochimac @ Save. Spend. Splurge. writes How to pay less than $200 in taxes for $50,000 of income – For Canadians living in Ontario, they can get dividends up to $50,000 and pay less than $200 in taxes. This is how it’s done.
Sam @ Simplefinancialfreedom writes Don’t Overlook Critical Illness Insurance – Critical Illness insurance is a product that is not very well known by the consumer and therefore is considered the most overlooked type of insurance that an
Steven @ MyDividendStocks writes Investing In The Companies That Pay Dividends – A Guide For The Beginners – For all those who are investing for earning income, have numerous options outside bonds and the most traditional are the high-dividend stocks. With the increasing debt obligations within the nation, there are too many people who are looking forward to their investing skills so that they have enough money to make ends meet.
Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes Taking a Look at Actual Prosper Returns Over 6 Years – I’ve been investing in Prosper for 6 years. The most important number is the total return of 4.32% which takes into account my entire history with Prosper. I would absolutely invest again if I were allowed to.
Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes Presenting the Sweating The Big Stuff Prepaid Debit Card – You've been asking for it, so it's finally here! The Sweating The Big Stuff Prepaid Debit Card is just what you need! Come read all the cool features!
MMD @ My Money Design writes Reader Debate – Would You Borrow Money to Invest in Stocks? – If real estate investors use other people’s cash to finance their investments, would it be wise for stock investors to borrow money to invest in stocks?
Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes Move over Milan: The Latest Fashion Trend for Hollywood is the Prepaid Debit Card Line – Is it just me, or is endorsing a prepaid debit card the newest Hollywood trend? This is partly due to the fact that the 2010 swipe fee reforms (in the
Steve @ 2009 to 2013 Taxes writes Finding The Right Online Tax Prep – The nice thing about these different options is that they are all free and allow you to quickly get your information in so you can receive your refund.
Arnel Ariate @ Money Soldiers writes 3 of the Best Budgeting Tips for Contractors – These are things that you need to do in order to stretch your cash in any job. Budgeting is an essential part of any financial plan and preparing a budget is essential to your contracting business.
Tushar @ Earn More and Save writes The Smartest Ways You Can Invest Your Money – An overview of the smartest ways you can invest your money today.
krantcents @ KrantCents writes Why You Should Think Twice about Paying Off Debt! – Do you pay off debt or invest? Many personal financial bloggers suggest to always pay off debt. It is not that simple! Whenever you have to make a financial or any kind of decision, you should examine all the alternatives. It is commonly called opportunity cost.
Crystal @ Married (with Debt) writes Feeling Mature about Your Family’s Finances – My husband and I are in the midst of a fight over exactly when we started feeling like responsible adults, especially when it comes to our family's finances
Kevin @ 20smoney.com writes Five Tips for Paying Student Loans – Start repaying your student loans after your graduate. The longer you hold your loan, the more student loan interest you can accrue. These tips will help you repay your college loan. Use a student loan repayment calculator to figure out a payment structure.
Kevin @ Passiveincometoretire writes How much do you Need to Retire – The exact answer to the question of how much money one needs to retire is different for every individual, because it depends on their respective means and requirements. However, there definitely are some general rules and facts that can help you understand more about your requirements, and about your means.
IMB @ Investing Money writes The Black Swan of Cyprus – A day-by-day understanding of the Cypriot bailout and the Cypriot Parliament's response, what can be described as a black swan event.
Marvin @ Brick By Brick Investing writes Ridiculous Young Entitled Generation – My personal rant about a highschool senior who fills entitled to an Ivy League education.
SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Getting Dressed: Simple Ways to Save Money on Clothing – From hand me downs to clothing buyback stores, there are ways to save money on garments for your family. Read here for great tips to buy clothes for cheap.
Joe @ Midlife Finance writes 6 Financial Lessons from the NCAA — And the NBA – An astonishing number professional athletes have gone broke after their career. They made millions over their short career, but can’t hold on to it. What can we learn from them?
Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Seven Questions to Answer Before You Retire – How can you know when the time is right for you to retire? Here are the questions to ask yourself to get your answer to “When should I retire?”
Hank @ Money Q&A writes How To Save Money On Your Vacation This Summer – There are several easy and fairly painless ways on how to save money on your vacation. You should not have to sacrifice fun and memories sending money on what doesn't matter to you and your trip.
Grand Per Month @ Grand Per Month writes Develop the Mindset to Make Extra Money – Here’s a little secret–the longer and harder you work, the more that will come your way. The more you believe in yourself, the more “luck” you’ll have. The more you feel you have something to offer, the more connections you will make, which will in turn grow your business.
Penny Thots @ Penny Thots writes Skip It. . .and Save – Want an easy way to stretch your money and goods? Take a cue from your childhood: SKIP IT.
Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes Is Off Shore Banking a Good Choice? – Off Shore banking is a great option for the ultra rich, but are you missing out on the tax shielding benefits?
Tushar @ Finance TUBE writes Are smart TV’s worth it? – Consumer technology evolves at such a rapid rate these days that your tech is probably out-dated by the time you’ve managed to save up for it. Advertising sometimes manages to convince you to save up for gear neither need nor want.
Jason @ Live Real Now writes Setting Goals: How to Have The Perfect Life – A few years ago, my wife and I were discussing life improvement, the options in front of us, and our future goals. She said she felt trapped by the scope of our goals and didn’t know where to start. That led to a discussion on achieving our goals, which led to this.
CT @ Cashtastrophe writes Volunteer During College to Help You Land a Job After College – How to Avoid a Cashtastrophe – Save more, spend less, and live a good life
John @ Card Hub writes How to Negotiate with the IRS – when Uncle Sam says pay up and you can’t quite answer the bell, making an offer in compromise requires doing something most consumers would rather avoid: talking to the IRS.
Lynn @ Wallet Blog writes Home Warranties: Worth the Price? – A home warranty/home protection plan is a service contract that protects many of the appliances or systems (heating, plumbing, air conditioning) in your house in case they fail. They can serve as a security blanket of sorts to homeowners, particularly if you’re purchasing a home that is older or hasn’t had much in the way of upkeep over the past number of years.
BARBARA FRIEDBERG @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes WHY YOU NEED DISABILITY INSURANCE – Disability statistics and why you must get disability/loss of income insurance.
Maria @ The Money Principle writes Could we lose our money? Lessons from Cyprus – Lessons from the botched treatment of Cyprus, bullied by the Troika.
MR @ Money Reasons writes Are We Financial Serfs? – Are we financial serfs, read how are aren't be a few important changes since the hard life times of the past.
SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes What Can You Invest in Besides CDs? – Have you ever invested in Certificates of Deposit? If you’re younger than 25, you might not even know what a CD is, and there’s actually good reason for that.
Greg @ Club Thrifty writes Planning Ahead: The Advantages of Life Planning – OK, so we may take planning ahead to a whole new section of Crazy Town. Still, planning ahead can benefit your life in many ways. Find out how inside!
Jester @ The Ultimate Juggle writes Distaster Strikes! Juggling a Broken Leg – My wife broke her leg, but I’m afraid we didn’t follow an optimal path for cost and efficiency with the injury. Read my future plans for such accidents.
Charles @ Wallet Hub writes Title Insurance Guide – Most homebuyers know they’re required to take out title insurance, but but many remain uncertain about why this is so – or even what title insurance is. This guide will introduce you to the basics of title insurance and make you a smarter homebuyer in the process.
Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes Best Way to Choose an Insurance Policy – Choosing an insurance policy can seem like a daunting task at first, but finding the best insurance coverage really comes down to what makes you the most comfortable when it comes to taking risks, getting personal service and fitting insurance into your budget.
LaTisha @ Young Finances writes Invest like Warren Buffett – How to use Warren Buffet's focused investing style to build your portfolio.
Investor Junkie @ Investor Junkie writes Retirement Planning: What Are Retirement Buckets? – One of the more interesting retirement planning strategies I’ve come across recently is the idea of buckets. I first read about buckets on Forbes, and I like the goals-based approach to dividing up your retirement assets.
Nick @ A Young Pro writes Recent Graduate Budget Infographic – I discuss the merits of an infographic aimed at helping recent graduates learn the basics of money management.
Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes Understanding the Concept of Emergency Cash – Many people are focused on the idea of saving for the future, investing in various stocks, shares and accounts and preparing for what the future may hold.
John S @ Frugal Rules writes Is Your Retirement Planning Frightening? – Looking at the statistics, many people are behind in a big way in terms of saving for retirement. Don’t allow yourself to be another statistic and start now, even if small and it will help that discipline of saving money over time.
John @ Fearless Men writes Be In the Know About Credit Cards Before They Own You – According to Forbes (March, 2012) the average credit card debt for indebted households was $14,517, and for all households was $6,772. That is a daunting statistic to have to face, and it’s a reality that many people live with every day. If you have a credit card it’s important that you take careful steps to avoid any of the pitfalls that can trap you in debt and keep you there almost indefinitely.
John @ All Things Finance writes Maximize Your Federal Tax Withholding Allowance And Keep Your Own Money – In 2013, over 50% of all Americans will receive a tax refund. The majority of those receiving a tax refund claim that they will use it to pay off debt. Somehow, we have associated a refund with something positive, while owing taxes is perceived as something you should avoid at all costs. This misconception is entirely wrong and I’ll explain why.
Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes Net Worth Update: April 2013 – I realize that when you look at this title you’re probably thinking, ‘Roger, it’s not April yet. Heck, it’s not even the end of March.
Luke @ Learn Bonds writes Japan Goes All-In On Money Printing – And Bond Yields Plunge – The 10-year Japanese government bond actually dropped to under 0.40%. Yes, that’s 40 basis points for a 10-year fixed income security.
Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes How to Find a Home For Cheap – Are you currently in the market for a new house? Buying a home is always an exciting time, but because most of us don’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars just lying around, you want to make sure that you’re
Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Tax Tips and Write Offs – Do you volunteer? Just a reminder to those parents who volunteer regularly that you can write-off any expenses involved in volunteering and all travel mileage.
Mr. Frenzy @ Frenzied Finances writes Basics of Filing Your Taxes: The How-To Guide – New to filing your taxes? Finding yourself confused in this process? Read here for the how-to guide for basics on filing your taxes.
JP @ My Family Finances writes Time to shine in Dubai: how to expand your family business overseas – With the Department of Economic Development now allowing 100 percent foreign ownership, overseas businesses find it easy to make the most of the country’s favourable economic conditions.
Marie at FamilyMoneyValues @ Family Money Values writes Make a new legacy – What is your legacy to the world? Is it the one you want to leave, or an accidental legacy you didn’t plan and don’t want?
KD @ LIR123 writes Variable Universal Life Insurance Pros and Cons – Variable universal life insurance can be a great way to buy insurance coverage with an option to invest for retirement. Variable life protection gives a policyholder more freedom to choose what types of investments to direct their premiums into, but does come with potential disadvantages. If you are considering a life insurance policy, consider researching all types of coverage.
Steve @ Grocery Alerts writes Guide to Cross Border Shopping for Canadians – Many Canadians cross border shop in the United States. This guide shares tips on how much you can bring back, what you can bring and useful websites.
Justin @ The Frugal Path writes 2013 Saver’s Tax Credit: The Government Match – There is a little known tax credit available to those with lower income based on how much you contributed to certain retirement accounts.
Jacob @ AllPersonalFinance writes Is it Good to Consolidate Credit Card Debt? – Millions of people are finding themselves with a significant amount of credit card debt. You have numerous credit cards, and the balances keep increasing. Getting into debt is easy; however, getting out of debt is very difficult.
Brent @ PersonalFinance-Tips writes Top 10 Ways to Improve your Returns on Savings – Due to inflation and depreciation banks are dropping their interest rates. If a customer did not call the tax credit phone number and be informed, then the rates can be dropped without the knowledge of the customer. Saving money in banks will not have a big impact on the capital deposited, because of the low interest rates provided by the banks.
Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes Why Are You Mad At Your Accountant? – Here is a question to ask yourself after tax season is over.
Mike @ Personal Finance Journey writes Seven mortgage related terms made simple – Seven mortgage related terms to help with your mortgage knowledge and to go into any mortgage discussion with the right mindset and knowledge.
Corey @ 20s Finances writes Save for a Home Down Payment OR Invest for Retirement – In order to save up a down payment, I need to make a choice between reducing my retirement contributions or delaying the purchase.
Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes What to Expect From a Home Inspection – Just found a new home? No time to celebrate yet. Find out what to expect during the home inspection.
Kanwal @ Simply Investing writes Are You Investing in Recession Proof Companies? – Take a look at your investments, whether it’s in mutual funds, ETFs, index funds, or individual stocks, are you invested in recession proof companies? If you answered no, then you might be in trouble. Let’s take a look at what is a recession proof company and how do you invest in one.
Glen @ Monster Piggy Bank @ Monster Piggy Bank writes Time is Money – What are you Sacrificing for Money? – What are you sacrificing for money? Is it Time? Or perhaps physical or mental health? It is a question that I think many people don’t bother to ask themselves, as they don’t feel that they are sacrificing anything.
Jules Wilson @ Fat Guy,Skinny Wallet writes My New Sony NWZ-W262 Walkman From Klout! – The Sony NWZ-W262 Walkman wireless MP3 player recently came into my possession, and so far I love it! You can read my first impressions & see a video of the unboxing
Jordann @ Making Sense of Cents writes How to Spend Your Extra Income – One thing she hasn’t covered is what to do with all of that extra income. One of my favorite things about extra income is that it’s not included in the budget, so you can really do anything you want with it. That said, it might not be the best idea to blow it on shopping. So what should you do with your extra income?
Jacob @ Cash Cow Couple writes Why You Probably Can’t Afford a Dog – Unless you’ve stashed a mound of cash in the doggy fund, you should probably take a good hard look at the total cost of owning a new dog.
Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes Life, Money and Retirement-Skype Doesn’t Reach Heaven – Sometimes we need to ask ourselves why we work so hard for all the money we make and whether we are spending our time wisely. Pouring your life into one basket risks leaving behind potential memories that you might not be able to go back and get. Take time to evaluate your life, your priorities and your future
Jason Hull @ Hull Financial Planning writes Is SAFEMIN Safe Enough? – Dr. Wade Pfau, CFA, and other academics have determined a safe minimum savings/investment rate so that if you save that much every year for 30 years, you should be able to retire for 30 years without running out of money. What’s that number, and is it right?
krantcents
Thanks for inclusion and hosting, I really appreciate it.
Dividend Growth Investor
Thank you for hosting and including my article on REITs.
DGI
Brick By Brick Investing | Marvin
Thanks for hosting and including my post Matt!
Roger @ The Chicago Financial Planner
Thanks for hosting and for including my post.
My Money Design
Thank you for including my post!
Kanwal Sarai @ Simply Investing
Thanks for including my post on investing in recession proof companies, I really appreciate it!
zimmy@moneyandpotatoes.com
Nice collection of retirement articles. Thanks for hosting and we hope to be apart of one in the future.