Roger Wohlner

If you want to guarantee a happy, stable retirement, it’s important to start saving — and investing — now. Unfortunately, hidden fees can wreak havoc on even the smartest investment strategies. Along with consulting fees, you might find yourself dealing with fees to trade, fees to advise and even high taxes. Watch out for these 15 hidden fees so you can avoid wasting your money in retirement.
1. Advisory Fees
While financial advisors need to eat and pay rent just like anyone else, the rhetori...

There are probably hundreds of things you shouldn’t do with your money. But from bad habits to decisions based on wishful thinking, some of the bigger missteps can really cost you.
To find out the biggest money mistakes you should avoid, GOBankingRates asked financial experts for their best advice.
Never Cash Your Paycheck Right Away
If you cash your paycheck right away, you might burn through it too quickly.
“You will most certainly spend it all if you cash your paycheck rather than have you...

If you’re counting on Social Security to fund your retirement, you might want to think again. According to MarketWatch, the two funds that pay Social Security’s benefits — the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and the Disability Insurance trust funds — will run out of money in 2035 if Congress does nothing to fix the program. While Social Security benefits won’t disappear if this happens, the funds will come only from taxes and therefore payouts will be lower. With less help from the government...

There's no one-size-fits-all best investing strategy—everyone's needs and goals are different. But there are some basics that most investors should consider when building their investment strategy. You can win and lose when it comes to investing, but a big part of defining winning and losing is determined by your overall financial goals.
Investing according to your values
Many funds and some ETFs incorporate approaches that use socially responsible investing (SRI) screens. Others may invest a...

Anyone who's purchased or leased a car knows this is a major purchase. Prices always seem to be increasing. How about the salesmen (and women) who sell these cars? How well are they compensated?
What Is an Average Salary of a Car Salesman?
According to the site Payscale.com, the median salary of a car salesman in 2018 was $41,539, with a range of about $19,000 for those earning in the bottom 10th percentile and about $83,000 in the 90th percentile. The median is the number above which half ea...

An e-check is a way for individuals and businesses to make payments from their checking account electronically. This method can offer a number of advantages for both those making and those receiving these payments.
What Is an E-Check?
An e-check is essentially an electronic payment from your checking account. In order to use an e-check you will need to have the bank's routing number, your checking account number and of course your name as listed on the account.
Download Now: To be a profitabl...

Betterment is one of a number of robo advisers that have sprung up in recent years to offer investors an alternative to more traditional human financial advisers. Robo advisers have evolved over time and there are a number of alternatives to choose from. Betterment is one of the larger players in this space.
What Is Betterment?
Betterment was founded by Jon Stein and several others. They launched their service in 2010.
Download Now: To be a profitable investor you first need to know the rules...

What is a stock option?
A stock option is a financial instrument that allows the option holder the right to buy or sell shares of a certain stock at a specified price for a specified period of time.
Stock options are traded on exchanges much like the stocks (Apple, ExxonMobil, etc.) themselves. The price of the option itself can be higher or lower than the original price when it was first listed. Most listed options in the U.S. conform to an options calendar and typically expire on the third ...

A key aspect of investing is measuring your results: How much has your portfolio gained or lost over a given period of time? This information in and of itself is meaningful, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.
It’s important to also measure your performance against some sort of benchmark to determine how well your portfolio’s performance stacks up. If you're investing on your own, this is a helpful way to track your progress over time. If you're working with a financial advisor who manages y...

A balance sheet is one of the key financial statements provided by a company. Along with the income statement and the statement of cash flows, the balance sheet helps provide a picture of the company's financial position at given point in time.
What Is a Balance Sheet?
The balance sheet is a statement showing the company's assets, liabilities and shareholder's equity at a point in time.
What Items Appear on a Balance Sheet?
Download Now: To be a profitable investor you first need to know the ...

Non-disclosure agreements have been in the news in recent months surrounding President Trump's alleged dealing with various women. The agreements, known as NDAs for short, have been around for a number of years and can cover many types of business arrangements. Here is a look at what a non-disclosure agreement is and some of the situations in which it might be used.
What Is a Non-Disclosure Agreement?
An NDA is a contractual agreement between two parties that defines a confidential arrangemen...

One of the key decisions that you will need to make as a business owner is the structure of your business. This might be dictated by the size of the business, the number of employees, the nature of the business, or what product or service you will provide.
The right business structure can provide tax benefits for the owners, allow for future growth and provide a shield from personal liability. This decision should be made with the help of an outside adviser such as an attorney or accountant.
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IRAs are a great way to contribute money and save for your retirement on a tax-deferred or tax-free (in the case of a Roth IRA) basis. IRAs are also a great destination if you are looking to roll money over from an employer-sponsored retirement plan like a 401(k) when leaving an employer.
We will take a look at the similarities and differences in the two types of IRA accounts to help you make informed choices about using IRAs for your retirement savings.
Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA
Before de...

The earned income credit is a benefit for those who are working and have low to moderate incomes. To qualify you must file an income tax return. Here is a look at the rules surrounding this credit and the requirements for claiming it.
What Is the Earned Income Credit?
The earned income credit (EIC) is a tax credit available to low to moderate income taxpayers. The credit can be worth up to $6,431 for 2018 and up to $6,557 for 2019. A tax credit is better than a tax deduction in that the credi...

Your credit score is one of the most critical numbers in your financial life. It can affect your ability to rent an apartment, buy a house or get a job. A low score can result in higher interest rates and may even prevent you from obtaining credit in the first place.
In common credit scoring models, 300 is typically the lowest possible score. However, scores that low are extremely rare.
There are two major credit scoring models: FICO and VantageScore. FICO is the older and more common model, ...