This week’s roundup is early becasue we’ll have the January issue of the SMI newsletter ready for you this Friday.
The market is no benchmark. Here’s why. (Morningstar). Just because the Dow and S&P 500 are readily available points of comparison doesn’t make them the right ones.
Planning to sell your house to fund your retirement? Think again (MarketWatch). The laws of supply and demand suggest it may not be so easy for retirees to downsize.
Avoid the tax trap most couples don’t want to think about (Kiplinger). When one spouse dies, the financial burden left behind could be a big increase in income taxes.
Researchers find a remarkable ripple effect when you give cash to poor families (NPR). What happens when you simply give cash to the poor? A major new study found out.
Five questions every family must answer (National Christian Foundation). Great financial topics to explore with your family.
And from the blogosphere…
Radical notion: Time to stop giving holiday gifts? (Next Avenue). A lot more people would be interested in skipping the gift exchange than you may realize.
Pulling your retirement levers (Can I Retire Yet?). When you retire, you may not have a paycheck anymore, but there will still be a lot of financial factors you can control.
Saving myself (Humble Dollar). Live beneath your means and save or invest a portion of every dollar. Very simple advice, and very effective.
How much is enough? (Retirement Field Guide). A good question to consider as you plan for the year ahead.
11 Bible givers you will want to meet (LifeWay). Some examples to follow, along with some cautionary tales.
We’d love to hear your responses to any of the above. To weigh in, just meet us in the comments section.