Andy | Saving to Invest

2016 Maximum Weekly State Disability Insurance Benefits and Coverage

State Disability Insurance (SDI) provides a way for disabled workers to receive income if disabled due to disabilities that prevent them from working and earning a living wage. Employee payroll deductions which are deducted from paychecks fund the various state disability programs . To qualify for the state maximum weekly benefit…

Teaching Kids about Stocks and Investing

One of the things that confront many adults today is a lack of experience with how stock markets work or which stocks to invest in. In a number of cases this can be attributed to not being exposed to the stock market and equity investing at an early age. Think…

Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC) Qualification Income Limits

You can see the latest EIC tables in this updated Earned Income Tax credit (EITC) page [Updated] Below are the final IRS published 2016 and 2017 Earned Income Tax credit (EITC) figures. You can reference IRS publication 596 or use online tax providers like TurboTax or H&R Block to get a free estimate of the specific…

401k, 403b, 457 Contribution Limits and Catch-up Amounts – 2026 Updates

The IRS has released its latest individual employee contribution annual limits for those participating in employer sponsored retirement programs covering 401(k), 403(b), 457 and Government Thrift Savings (TSP) plans. Changes are shown in the table below. The contribution limits are indexed to inflation and as a result are adjusted annually by the…

2025-2026 IRS Tax Rate Brackets and Standard Deduction – Latest Updates

This article provides a summary of changes and updates to IRS Federal tax rates and brackets. These adjust annually in line with inflation, under the tax code, to provide for mandatory cost of living adjustments (COLA). You can see the latest updates by year below. 2026 Tax Brackets (for 2027…

2016 Marketplace Health Insurance Plans & Prices Rising Under Obamacare (Affordable Care Act)

[2016 updates] 2016 health insurance premiums under the state and federal health care system (Affordable Care Act) are rising. No doubt about that. The question is by how much. Recent reports and have a broad range (from 6% to 15%) as health insurance companies have started submitting requests to the regulator (insurance…

Investing Lessons to Live By

Here are some of John C. Bogle's, former CEO of the Vanguard Group and founder of the "index" fund, timeless investing lessons and market philosophies. I know it reaffirmed some of my changing views around investing and saving for retirement. 1) Beware of market forecasts, even by experts. As the new year begins,…

Quick and Practical Ways to Improve your Finances – Automatic Saving, Education, Refinancing to Tax Planning

NOW is always a good time to reassess your financial situation and try and determine how you can improve your personal finances. Based on my experiences and observations, here are five simple and relatively cheap strategies to improve your finances. All it requires is a little discipline and overcoming normal procrastination…

Has my Financial and Personal Information Been Compromised if I used TurboTax, H&R Block or Tax Act?

There has been a lot of publicity of late around electronic security breaches with a focus on tax software related breaches. The majority of people file their taxes electronically and with tax returns containing your most sensitive personal information it is no surprise that hacking or compromised data that leads to…

iPhone or Samsung Trade-in and Upgrade? Then Skip Best Buy and Go For Verizon or AT&T Stores to Get The Best Deal

Just a quick money saving tip. If you are looking to upgrade your old iPhone or Samsung then avoid Best Buy and other big box electronic store and go to the network provider (AT&T, Sprint Verizon) for the best deals. See the screenshots below for the trade-in prices I got…

2026 IRS Tax Refund Schedule And Direct Deposit Payment Calendar

Tax return processing and refund payments continue to be bumpy this year given IRS budget cuts and introduction of several tax changes under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. With over 160 million returns expected to be filed this tax season, many tax filers can expect processing delays beyond the standard…

5 Places to Get Free Tax Advice, Guidance and Help

A lot of families cannot afford to pay for professional help to get advice on taxes and/or to prepare their tax returns. While simple returns for low income earners can be filed for free with most large online e-File tax providers, those who have complicated financial situations or have moved states…

Where Can I Check my State Tax Refund Status and Get Help With Payment or Processing Delays

There is a lot of focus around this time of the year on folk's federal IRS tax return and refund status, but just as many people need to worry about one or more state income tax returns. In fact for the current tax season, while IRS processing delays are well…

How Much Will it Cost to Have a Tax Professional Prepare Your Tax Return this Year?

I have received variations on this question over the last few years and when I saw this article in the WSJ I had the answer to my question. The national average fee for 2014 returns will be $273, according to a survey by the National Society of Accountants. This fee is…