Many of us associate April with taxes. We should also associate it with IRAs, for April is the month with the deadlines for IRA contributions and mandatory IRA withdrawals. The deadline for your 2011 IRA contribution is April 17, 2012. Yes, April 17. This year, April 15 is a Sunday and April 16 falls on a holiday in the District of Columbia (Emancipation Day). So you get a little extra time to make your 2011[…]

Which move will it make to address pressing issues? Right now, there are dozens of mutual funds and ETFs devoted explicitly to investing in China’s impressive emerging market. Even with the risk of asset bubbles, the promise of China is simply too tantalizing to ignore for many. The question is whether its economy can maintain its powerful momentum in 2012. If not, the impact on global investors could be significant.

The frenzy is building. Should you care? Presented by Marc Aarons @ Money Managers Inc. Anticipation is high. Facebook filed an S-1 form with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 1, taking its first big step toward going public. It aims to raise $5 billion through its upcoming IPO. Some of the details from the S-1 form:

The frenzy is building. Should you care? Presented by Marc Aarons @ Money Managers Inc. Anticipation is high. Facebook filed an S-1 form with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 1, taking its first big step toward going public. It aims to raise $5 billion through its upcoming IPO. Some of the details from […]

How does the President want to modify tax rates? The wealthiest taxpayers could be hit hard if the tax hikes in President Obama’s 2013 federal budget proposal become law. The good news is that the tax changes outlined by the President in mid-February may be softened by eventual bipartisan compromise. As currently proposed, they would impact the wealthiest Americans on several fronts. The Bush-era tax cuts could expire for the rich.

Interest rates on 30-year fixed mortgages hit a record low. Presented by Money Managers Inc. Mortgages are cheaper than ever. Economists and real estate analysts who predicted lower interest rates were not disappointed; the earliest numbers from 2012 have reached an all-time low, leading a number of homeowners to consider their options. On January 12, interest rates on 30-year FRMs dropped to 3.89%.

Companies sponsoring group health plans should be aware of the changes coming to the health insurance industry as part of the “second stage” of health care reform. An ongoing relationship with a licensed insurance and financial consultant can help you keep these major and minor adjustments on your radar.

Congress will consider three suggestions.

What would you do with an extra $1,000 or $2,000? The Tax Relief Act of 2010 will give many of us the equivalent of a 2% raise in 2011. Employee payroll taxes have been cut from 6.2% to 4.2% this year.1 So if you pay into Social Security, you are looking at a rise in your take-home pay. What are your plans for that extra money?

Will the Mubarak government be toppled? Egyptians took to the streets in Cairo and other major cities Friday, facing riot squads and armored personnel carriers as they demanded political reforms and an end to the 30-year rule of the country’s president, Hosni Mubarak. The Mubarak government shut down the nation’s internet providers and mobile phone network and imposed a nationwide nightly curfew within a 36-hour period Thursday and Friday. In response, a huge crowd surrounded[…]