Money Questions and Answers

Why A Big Tax Return May Not Be So Bad

What do you do with a big tax return? I constantly fuss at my wife because she wants to have a fairly large ($3,000+) income tax return every year. Knowingly receiving a big tax refund each year is a big mistake that many workers make. I try to tell her that we are simply giving the federal government an interest free loan by doing that, but she simply doesn’t listen.

It is always a constant struggle to get my wife involved in financial planning for our family. She simply isn’t interested in money and finances and leaves that portion of our lives squarely on my shoulders for the most part. So, I got to thinking. Does it matter if we get a big tax return at the end of the year? Maybe it doesn’t matter after all.

A Big Tax Return Is Forced Savings

Like paying off a mortgage, overpaying the government in taxes every month is a way to force you into a type of savings plan.

How I Recently Invested in a Rock Band with Kickstarter

by Hank Coleman

I’m always on the lookout for great alternative investment ideas to beat the stock market with about 10% of my investment portfolio. That is one of the reasons that I invest in Lending Club, precious metals, and a few other alternative investments. I’ve even looked to invest in a rock band. It is a great way to spice up my investing, goose my rate of returns a little, and have a little fun too. Investing should be fun! That’s what keeps us engaged and motivates us to continue saving and investing for our other financial goals such as early retirement, sending our children to college, and others. It is no secret that I am trying to learn how to play … Read more

How to Raise the Next Millionaire Entrepreneur

by Guest Contributor

The following is a part of Yakezie’s blog swap from Marissa. She writes about life after grad school, and personal finance over at Thirty Six Months. You can check out my post on her site. I was an inventive child. Inventive in a way to ask my parents for a bigger allowance if I did extra chores, asking my siblings for a part of their allowance as a fee for being younger than me etc. Some of those ideas worked and some of them got me grounded for bullying my little sisters. The point is that when your child has the entrepreneurial spirit in them and wants to earn extra income with their creativity, do everything you can to encourage … Read more

The Beginner’s Guide – How to Find a Mutual Fund That’s Right for You

by Hank Coleman

Baby Step 4 - Save 15% Of Your Income For Retirement

There are tens of thousands of mutual funds out there for investors to choose from. It is very intimidating for new beginner investors to learn how to find a mutual fund that is right for you and your financial goals. Where do you go to start looking for the right mutual funds to invest in? What are some of the characteristics that you should look for when determining how to find a mutual fund? Below are some of the things that you should consider when learning how to find a mutual fund that best fits your needs. Where To Start Finding Mutual Funds One of my favorite places to start the search for a new mutual fund to invest in … Read more

The Dangers of the Death of a Beneficiary

by Hank Coleman

The beneficiaries you name in your will to receive your assets after your death or to care for your minor children are more than likely very close to you or even members of your own family. While the death of a beneficiary is a sad time in a family’s life, it is also a time that you have to take an introspective look at your own estate plan. That is the time that you need to update your will kuvubf=g and any beneficiary documents. Most investment companies that manage your Roth IRAs, 401ks, and other investment accounts allow you to name a beneficiary in order for those assets to skip probate court and be distributed directly according to your will. … Read more

What Is Passive Income? Here Are Two Ways To Earn Passive Income

by Hank Coleman

You can make money while sitting on the couch. You can continue to make money in retirement. What if you could make money without even trying? What if your money could make money for you?

That’s exactly what is passive income and what it means. There are several ways or investments listed below that I have been using to earn a passive stream of income.

What Is Passive Income?

What is passive income? Passive income is making money without having to do anything. Passive income is earning an income on autopilot. Passive income is setting up some investment, job, or system that continues to pay you without you having to do anything. It does not require you to manipulate anything.