long-term

Optimize Your IRA and 401(k)

Posted July 29, 2009 - 12:00 by Philip Brewer

Personal Finance

Apollo 4 Liftoff

Your IRA and 401(k) (or 403(b) if you work for a non-profit) are great tools for deferring taxes, and have other advantages as well. But because they're labeled "retirement" accounts, people are much too likely to put the wrong investments in them. Here's how to use them correctly.

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Plan for your wants

Posted December 27, 2008 - 13:15 by Philip Brewer

Personal Finance, Budgeting

Tall ships

Budgets tend to focus on needs--food, shelter, heat, light, transportation, and (of course) taxes. They also provide for wants, but generally the smaller, shorter-term wants--cable TV, a magazine subscription, an occasional restaurant meal. Instead of a budget line, the larger, longer-term wants are covered implicitly when your budget spends less than all you earn. Somewhere, though, those big, long-term wants deserve a plan.

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