Montgomery Community Media

Over the Christmas holiday, Kanye West made headlines by gifting his wife, Kim Kardashian, hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of stock in major companies including Netflix, Apple, Adidas, Amazon, and Disney. I am not sure that Kim needed the extra money, but it reminds us that gifting stock is another way to show a loved one […]

The recently-passed Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 challenges us to reconsider how we save for retirement. Saving for retirement is smart. This is especially true when you work for a company that matches your contribution into your retirement account. The Tax Act doesn’t change that, but it may impact which type of account […]

The Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 lowers income-tax rates for all tax brackets, especially for high earners, and raises the estate-tax exemption—both of these changes benefit the wealthiest Americans. While the wealthy are clear winners, the vast majority of Americans will pay the same or less in taxes for more than one reason. […]

There is much heated discussion about whether the recently passed Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 will help or hurt low, middle, and high earners. I try to avoid the politics and instead focus on the Bill’s impact on daily finances and how it can help people reach their specific goals. For lower-income workers, […]

It’s that time of year when we all have good intentions. Whether it’s eating less or exercising more, we set out to make improvements in the New Year only to struggle to keep our resolve as the year progresses. When it comes to personal finances, it’s no different. With that in mind, here is a […]

The U.S. economy has been in growth mode since 2009, and many investors have been anticipating significant interest-rate increases. This may be a logical expectation because, historically, the Fed has raised rates to slow down the risk of inflation during market expansions. Our current economic growth, as measured by GDP, is greater than 2.5%, and […]

Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k) plans represent one of the few tax advantaged ways for Americans to invest. These Roth investment products allow you to make an after-tax contribution into an investment account. Subject to certain terms and conditions, they also allow for tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawal of dividends, interest, and capital gains. In […]

The release of the September jobs report, which showed a net decline of 33,000 jobs, has caused some concern that the U.S. economy might be slowing. However, a closer look at the data shows otherwise. In the same report, we saw the nascent trend of wage growth continuing. For the past twelve months, average hourly earnings […]

With the fourth quarter of the year upon us, it can be a smart time to take inventory of your financial situation. Here are 10 easy steps to complete an effective assessment. 1.    Assess your 2017 plan progress. Look at any areas of your 2017 written financial plan that you have not yet accomplished and […]

Employers are becoming increasingly concerned about the financial well-being of their employees, and they are expanding how they demonstrate their loyalty. Employers large and small are offering programs such as robust health insurance plans, on-site daycare, after school care, flexible work hours, Health Savings Accounts (HSA’s), and the ability to work remotely. Some companies also […]