Posts by Wharton Wealth Planning, LLC
How to Decide if a Roth IRA or Roth Conversion is Right for You (Updated for 2025)
What are the benefits of a Roth IRA and how do these accounts work? A Roth IRA is an Individual Retirement Account to which you contribute after-tax dollars. With a Roth IRA account, you won’t pay taxes as your money potentially grows, and you can make tax-free withdrawals during retirement. These plans are important because they…
Read MoreEarn Tax-free Income from Your Investments with Municipal Bonds
published by Investing.com October 30, 2024Â Â https://www.investing.com/analysis/earn-taxfree-income-from-your-investments–consider-municipal-bonds-200653607 Like all bonds, municipal bonds are trading at much higher yields on an absolute basis than in decades. A big part of that is the recent rate-hiking cycle that the Fed has embarked upon to curtail inflation, which was at 40-year highs. So, we have a much different…
Read MoreMoney Life Podcast – We talk about what determines our buy and sell decisions and discuss mutual funds, ETFs, and the market in general.
Money Life Show podcast hosted by Chuck Jaffe – We talk about what determines our buy and sell decisions and discuss mutual funds, ETFs, and the market in general. Transcript for Podcast Below: Chuck Jaffe (Host): David Rosenstock, Director of Investments and Financial Planning at Wharton Wealth Planning, is here. We’re talking funds and ETFs,…
Read MoreAre Tax Inefficiencies Costing You Money and Impacting Your Retirement Goals? Advice for the Tax-Conscious Investor.
Reduce investment taxes and maximize your retirement income and savings Concerned about keeping your investment taxes low? Surveys indicate that over 70% of Americans are concerned that rising taxes will diminish their future savings. Unaddressed tax inefficiencies in your investment portfolio and financial plan could also erode how much you have left to live on…
Read MoreShould You Roll Over the Employer Retirement Plan from Your Former Employer into an IRA?
In many instances, people have changed jobs throughout their careers and need to decide what to do with their old 401(k) or 403(b) from their previous employer(s). Having many different accounts at different places and receiving numerous statements throughout the year can feel complicated, disorganized, and hard to keep track of. In many cases, rolling…
Read MoreShould You Buy an Annuity?
Annuities are contracts sold by insurance agents or financial advisors who have licenses to sell insurance. The insurance industry invests a significant amount of money to advertise and actively promote the benefits of these products. However, in addition to the advantages frequently marketed in advertisements, annuities have disadvantages, which everyone should be mindful of. Many…
Read MoreLooking for Higher Yields? Avoid These Mistakes
Higher interest rates are primarily favorable, but investors must also watch out for pitfalls. Since the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates in 2022, the Fed has raised its benchmark fed funds rate to 5.25 to 5.50%, the highest level in 22 years. Twenty-four months ago, yields on 10-year government bonds were under 2%. They’ve…
Read MoreHow Can Bonds be Used as Part of Your Investment and Retirement Planning Strategy
Using Bonds as Part of Your Investment Strategy Inflation-adjusted yields are at some of their most attractive levels in decades. While higher yields may put a dent in price appreciation, they also mean a bigger coupon payout for investors when a bond matures. Investors can thank high interest rates for that. Yields, in general, are…
Read MoreHow Much Do Fee-Only Financial Advisors Typically Charge?
Most people want to help ensure that the financial advice they receive is unbiased and truly in their best interest. A financial advisor’s compensation structure can significantly impact their recommendations. Fee-only financial advisors are independent of financial services firms (such as brokers or insurance companies) and are legally held to the fiduciary standard. A fee-only advisor’s…
Read MoreIs the Best Place to Invest the Money in Your Retirement Account (or Individual Account) a Target Date Fund?
How do target date funds compare to other investment choices? It can be common and easy to put your financial planning and retirement investing behind your day-to-day activities. However, it is important not to overlook where you are investing your monthly retirement contributions. Many investors use retirement date funds because this is a ‘default’ investment…
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