Here’s how to retire a millionaire, according to finance pros

Goran Babic | E+ | Getty Images Building a $1 million nest egg may seem an impossible feat. However, amassing such retirement wealth is within reach for almost anyone — provided they take certain steps, financial advisors say. “You might think that, ‘Well, I have to become a Silicon Valley entrepreneur to become rich,’” said […]

Here’s how to pay for taxes on your Roth IRA conversion, advisors say

Srdjanpav | E+ | Getty Images More from FA Playbook: Here’s a look at other stories impacting the financial advisor business. When a Roth conversion is completed, you’ll owe regular income taxes on the converted balance, based on your current-year taxable income.  Ideally, you’re “managing the tax bracket,” said CFP Jim Guarino, managing director at […]

How to leverage higher income limits for the 0% capital gains bracket

dowell | Moment | Getty Images The earnings limit for the 0% capital gains bracket will rise in 2025, which could offer tax planning opportunities, financial experts say. At sale, profitable assets owned for more than one year qualify for lower taxes — known as long-term capital gains. Those rates are 0%, 15% or 20%, […]

Here’s how to know if active ETFs are right for your portfolio

Izusek | E+ | Getty Images Exchange-traded funds are generally known for passive strategies. But there has been a surge in actively managed ETFs as investors seek lower costs and more precision, experts say. Active ETFs represented just more than 2% of the U.S. ETF market at the beginning of 2019. But these funds have […]

How to incentivize your kid to start investing for retirement

Momo Productions | Stone | Getty Images Once you’ve decided that opening a Roth individual retirement account for your child is a great idea, now comes the hard part: convincing the child to save for a far-off retirement instead of spending that hard-earned money.  I have some ideas for making the case to your child.  […]

How to invest in bonds amid falling interest rates

Lucy Lambriex | Stone | Getty Images As the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates, investors should review their bond portfolio, which could see a boost from dovish Fed policy. The central bank in September kicked off its first easing campaign in four years with a 50 basis point rate cut, which brought its benchmark rate […]

Here’s how to reduce a ‘tax bomb’ on an inherited IRA

Greg Hinsdale | The Image Bank | Getty Images If you’ve inherited a pretax individual retirement account since 2020, you could face a sizable tax bill without proper planning, experts say.  Previously, heirs could take inherited IRA withdrawals over their lifetime, known as the “stretch IRA.” However, the Secure Act of 2019 enacted the “10-year […]

What ‘No Spend September’ is and how to know if you should participate

Solstock | E+ | Getty Images Victoria Szafarski currently has $10,000 in credit card debt.  The New Yorker’s outstanding balance peaked at $25,000 last year, before she took on a second job as a waitress for a few months. The extra cash Szafarski brought in helped her make headway paying down the debt and increase […]