The R.I.C.H. Planning Group, LLC LTMOnline E-Newsletter

Robert A. Imparato, Jr CFP^®

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional

Craig A. Hyldahl CFP^®

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional

R.I.C.H. Planning Group, LLC

105 Fieldcrest Avenue, Suite #507

Edison, NJ 08837

Robert: 732-326-5240

Craig: 732-326-5240

Fax: 732-326-5331

Robert: robert@richplanninggroup.com

Craig: craig@richplanninggroup.com

Website: www.richplanninggroup.com

September/October 2023

Take an Active Role in Your Finances

When it comes to women and investing, research has turned up a few paradoxes. Although, on average, women earn better investment returns than men while taking less risk, their retirement account balances lag men's by as much as 44 percent.

Should You Consolidate Debt?

Debt consolidation offers a way to combine some or all your debts into a single payment, often at a lower interest rate. If you have substantial debt that carries high interest rates, a debt consolidation loan may lower your payments and allow you to pay off your debt more quickly.

A Checklist for Loved Ones

The death of someone close to you brings with it many important tasks that must be completed, despite your grief and confusion. The following checklist can help you prioritize.

Let a Sound Financial Strategy Guide Your Decisions

Your ultimate destination may be retirement, but having a well-thought-out strategy can help you make informed financial decisions throughout your lifetime. A good strategy can help you understand where you currently stand and help you reach the goals you set for yourself.

FAFSA Makeover

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) that students and parents complete to apply for financial aid is becoming shorter and easier to navigate, thanks to the FAFSA Simplification Act. Scheduled to begin with the 2024-25 award year, the revisions to the form are designed to streamline the application process. Here are some highlights. The Act:

The Cost of College

Institutional financial aid offices have constructed an average student budget for full-time undergraduate students for the 2022-23 school year. The budget items include tuition/fees, room and board, books/supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses. Amounts are before any financial aid is awarded.

A Look at the Major Stock Indexes

There are approximately 5,000 indexes that represent the U.S. equity market. While you rely on these indexes as indicators of how the stock market is performing, you cannot invest in any index. Here’s an overview of the most widely used.

Planning for Retirement? Keep Taxes in Mind

Do you have big plans for retirement? The IRS has some big plans, too, namely to collect the taxes you didn’t pay on the tax-deferred savings in your employer’s qualified retirement plan or traditional IRA. As you contemplate life after work, think about how the money you’ve invested for retirement will be taxed. Your tax advisor and financial professional can help.

Claiming the Lifetime Learning Credit

Higher education costs have skyrocketed over the years, so who wouldn’t appreciate a little help paying for them? The Lifetime Learning Credit is a nonrefundable tax credit that can offset the cost of tuition and related expenses at eligible institutions.

Understand the New Rules for Third-Party Payments

Being self-employed has its perks, but it also has its challenges. If you work from home or have a side business, you are responsible for keeping accurate records and paying your fair share of income taxes. The IRS wants to make sure of that, too, and Form 1099-K helps the IRS - and you - do just that.

Manage Risk with Life Insurance

As a business owner, you may have two essential estate planning goals: to ensure that your business survives and to provide your family with sufficient cash to maintain their lifestyle should the unthinkable happen. September is life insurance month, a good time to consider how life insurance can help you meet both objectives, as well as others that are also important to you.

As Your Life Changes, So Do Your Insurance Needs

September has traditionally been designated as life insurance month to remind you to review any changes to your personal circumstances that might affect your life insurance* needs. Here are several events that could trigger a reassessment.

Understand the Difference Between Workers' Compensation and Disability Insurance

On the surface, workers' compensation and disability insurance may seem to cover the same ground. Both are designed to provide benefits to employees if they're unable to work due to illness or injury. Both cover a portion of lost wages. But that's where the similarity ends.

Investing in Collectibles

From artwork and sculptures to rare wines and old baseball cards, collectibles often comprise a piece of intergenerational wealth and they can serve as an alternative investment that diversifies your portfolio. But be careful. If you intend to pass these and other collectibles of value on to family or sell them and invest elsewhere, you need to appraise and then protect their value.

Get to Know Your Medicare

You may be 65 or older, but it’s back to the ABCs when it comes to Medicare. With so many options, it’s important that you understand each before choosing coverage that is best for you.

Healthcare When Traveling

If you’re a Medicare recipient and you’re traveling abroad, do your homework before you learn the hard way that Medicare doesn’t pay in most circumstances.

Annuities: A Flexible Choice

If you diligently contribute the maximum to a 401(k) or other qualified retirement plan and you’re looking for another tax-advantaged way to put money away for the future, a nonqualified fixed annuity* may provide one answer.

Get to Know Your Benefits

Each Fall employee benefits enrollment is a time when executives and even business owners can leverage corporate dollars to provide a base of insurance coverage and retirement savings, both of which should complement the insurance and retirement investing individuals do outside the workplace.

The Nuts and Bolts of a Charitable Remainder Trust

High net worth families often want to give to charity, while ensuring that loved ones - especially a surviving spouse - are taken care of financially. A charitable remainder trust can help accomplish these dual goals.

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