Bedel Blog

Welcome to To Your Wealth, a simplified, weekly, personal-wealth Q&A! Sometimes you just don’t know what you don’t know…Or perhaps you just have that one issue keeping you up at night. Either way, every Tuesday, we’ll be answering one of your personal finance questions, so be sure to keep those queries coming. Click on Submit a Question below, and then keep an eye out for when your question will be featured!

With 2019 being the first year to file under the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, many Americans are finding themselves faced with a tax bill due to Uncle Sam. Unsure how this happened, how to pay for your tax burden, or what you can do to prevent another tax bill in the future? Read on for the details.

Yesterday you had stock worth $100 per share. Today it’s worth 25% less! What happened? Spin-offs might not be a common stock market term for you, but it can be a common practice amongst companies. We’ve defined what a spin-off is, along with how you might expect it to affect your portfolio. Read on for the details…

Timing the sale of your home with the purchase of a new house can be tricky. If your selling and buying cycles are out of sync, you do have options for making your down payment. Read on for the details.

Dreaming of retiring in your 30’s or 40’s but not sure that could be your reality? The FIRE movement (Financially Independent Retire Early) is increasing in popularity, but there are definite pros and cons to the movement. Be sure you’ve critically assessed your financial situation, and that your financial plan is structured to provide you the means for early retirement. We have the details…

Anyone with a pet knows that veterinary care can be costly, especially when faced with a more serious illness. Enter pet insurance – providing pet owners with the means to provide care for their furry friends in the event of illness. We’ve outlined the basics of pet insurance, along with things to consider when deciding if it’s a good purchase for you and your pet.

Do you know what’s in your portfolio? While your answer might be “Yes,” it’s a good idea to look a bit closer to be sure you’re taking the amount of risk you intended. If you use index funds within your portfolio, be sure to understand the underlying stocks within each fund. This can easily alter how well your investments are meeting your expectations.

Anyone who has worked with a realtor has a general idea of the basics of the job, but there’s much more to real estate than showing homes and brokering deals. It turns out realtors can provide many services to their clients that you might not be aware of. If you’re in the market to buy or sell, be sure to check out several ways your realtor can be working for you.

HSAs are rising in popularity, and some are using these accounts as investment vehicles. So how do you know if you’re getting the most out of your HSA? It’s important to understand the details of HSAs and your financial situation to determine if investing these funds makes sense for you. We’ve outlined the basics, along with questions to be sure to ask yourself before deciding.

Credit card balance transfers can be a useful tool in paying down credit card debt more quickly and with less money owed. But there’s more to it than just that. It’s important to understand if a balance transfer works with your unique financial plan. We’ve explored the details to help you make a smart decision.

What do you think of when you hear the term “reverse mortgage”? Chances are it might not be positive. But the reverse mortgages of yesteryear are being replaced by more evolved loans that can be helpful to some. The key is to understand the changes in the newer mortgages, and then to talk with your advisor to be sure it’s a viable strategy in your comprehensive financial plan. We have the details…

Chances are your teen isn’t thinking about saving for her retirement quite yet. But contributing now to a Roth IRA can give her a leg up on her retirement savings. Unsure if your teen will want to contribute any of her hard-earned money? No worries – anyone can contribute to a Roth IRA on her behalf. Read on for the details and what to watch out for.