Yesterday one of our clients asked us for the cost basis for a corporate bond that had been in her portfolio. It matured last year (2017) and the principal was returned to our client. Her CPA was working on her taxes and needed to know what our client originally paid for the bond – the […]
Retirement Distribution Planning
So, you’ve managed to save enough to retire and spend the rest of your life doing things that really matter to you. If you’re like most Americans, and did not work in the public sector, you probably don’t have a pension from your prior employer(s). Instead, you saved in your employer-sponsored retirement plan. You probably […]
Ladies and Gentlemen – Please Fasten Your Seatbelts
“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN – PLEASE FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS” If you have every flown with a commercial airline, you have undoubtedly heard these words. This message is broadcast whenever the plane has encountered turbulence and there is resulting concern about the safety of the passengers and crew. After last week’s performance of the stock market, investors […]
Springwater featured in the Oregon State Bar’s Family Law Newsletter
Springwater’s article on “Financial Mistakes Divorcees Make” was published in the Winter 2017 edition of the Oregon State Bar’s Family Law Newsletter. You can read the article, and the newsletter, here (PDF opens in new window). PLEASE SEE important disclosure information at www.springwaterwealth.com/blog-disclosure/.
Does a Reverse Mortgage Still Make Sense?
A reverse mortgage is a loan against a home’s equity that requires no monthly payments, and is available to homeowners 62 and older. The loan proceeds can be taken as a lump sum, as monthly income for life, or as a line of credit. Interest on the borrowed money is added to the loan amount, […]
The IRS has announced the 2018 retirement plan limits
The 2018 retirement plan limits have recently been announced by the IRS. These new limits are effective January 1, 2018. If you are an employee and a retirement plan participant, be sure to contact your employer as soon as possible if you wish to change your retirement plan salary deferrals for 2018. Of course, if […]
Medicare Part D and Open Enrollment
Fall Open Enrollment is the time of year when you can change your Medicare coverage. If you reenroll in a plan during open enrollment, your coverage starts January 1. In most cases, Fall Open Enrollment is the only time you can pick a new Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plan. Medicare Part D, also […]
Do my retirement accounts count when applying for college financial aid?
Many parents may not be familiar with the process for applying for, and qualifying for, financial aid for college. They may also not know which assets hurt their chances for receiving financial aid, and which do not. Understanding the process is especially relevant, because parents are now able to begin filing for financial aid for […]
The Equifax Data Breach – What Should I Do?
The Equifax Data Breach If you have a credit report, it’s likely that you’re one of the over 140 million Americans whose sensitive personal information was accessed through a data breach at Equifax, one of the nation’s three major credit reporting agencies. The other major agencies are Experian and TransUnion. According to Equifax, this is […]
Is my severance pay taxable?
If you’ve been terminated from a long-term job your employer may offer you severance pay, sometimes referred to as a separation package. Severance pay can include a lump sum payment, a period of continued paychecks, a continuation of some or all benefits, or other forms of payment. Employers aren’t required to offer severance pay, but […]