Here’s what I’ve been reading this past week or so:

A Little-Known “Back Door” Trick for Boosting Your Roth Contributions

Roth accounts are something that I talk about with every client. Roth accounts are amazing tools to save for retirement and plan for taxes. Basically you pay income taxes on the money now, but then never again. So your money grows tax free and you can take it out tax free. It’s such a great strategy that there are lots of rules and regulations around the accounts that can limit how much you can put into different Roth accounts annually. This article explains how you can supersize contributions to Roth accounts if your employer plan offers you the ability to convert your after-tax contributions.

How to Budget for Early Retirement While Maintaining Healthy Habits

This Well+Good article got me because it’s about a woman living in Hawaii ?… and I really miss Hawaii. However, reading about her budget, I just couldn’t get on board. It’s too tight for how I would want to live. Her family of 4 lives in a 500 square foot cottage. ? She spends $100 a year for “beauty”. What??? If I only spent $100 on haircuts and makeup a year, children would run away screaming when they saw me. ?‍♀️ I’ve spent $100 on eye cream alone this year.

It is interesting to hear how some folks really constrain their current lives to retire early. Think FIRE Movement. Most of my clients strive for financial independence when they will have the choice to retire or to downshift their career at an earlier age, but not by sacrificing all of their comfort and happiness now. The art of financial planning is finding the right balance of what makes you happy now without sticking future you with the bill.

How to Identify Your Financial Weakness – and Overcome It

If you have ever watched NBC’s Today Show, you have likely seen Jean Chatzky doing a financial segment. In addition to reporting, Ms. Chatzky has website (and podcast) called HerMoney. It’s dedicated to improve the relationships women have with money. 

This article explores common money-related fears and tips for moving forward. A couple common weaknesses are “Putting Yourself Last” and the “Social Media and the Comparison Trap”. This sounds like me and many other women I know. We aren’t alone.

Losing It All

Cybersecurity is something that I always worry about in my profession, but it is unfortunately more and more prevalent in the general population, not only with the aging community but also with the tech savvy Millennials and everyone in between. This article doesn’t give any tips you haven’t heard before, but the one is worth highlighting is “closely monitor your account balances”. This helped me discover that one of our credit cards had been skimmed at a local gas station. The charge was for $1.49. In the words of Mad Eye Moody from Harry Potter, “constant vigilance” is necessary.

Summertime in Cities: Chicago

Shout out to my hometown! Summertime in Chicago is the absolute best – the energy, the warm nights. This NY Times article talks about 8 great spots to visit in Chicago during the summer. While you are there, don’t miss having drinks at a roof top bar.

Jason Sudeikis Is Having One Hell of a Year

Over COVID-19, I watched a lot – A LOT – of television shows. My favorite show was Ted Lasso on Apple TV. The show was joyful, optimistic, heartwarming, and funny at a time that I was really needing an escape. New season is coming out soon! I can’t wait to go back to Ted’s world again!

 

Enjoy!

Disclosures:

BW Financial LLC dba BW Financial Planning is an Investment Adviser registered with the State of Colorado.

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