FINANCIaL

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Tax Strategy, Personal Finance Alex Voorhees Tax Strategy, Personal Finance Alex Voorhees

Is Saving In a 529 Plan a Mistake?

529 plans have long been the go-to for college savings. And for good reason - all the growth is tax-free if used for qualified educational expenses. But in recent years they have come under question as parents and grandparents wonder if all that college savings is for waste.

After all, many expect the education system to have some type of reform as the cost of college has ballooned over the past 40 years…

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Personal Finance, Budgeting Tips Alex Voorhees Personal Finance, Budgeting Tips Alex Voorhees

How To Set Up Sinking Funds

One of the most difficult parts about sticking to a savings plan is that no month looks the same. It’s easy to budget for fixed expenses like your mortgage, phone bill, and subscriptions. With time, you can estimate some variable expenses like eating out and groceries.

But it is much more difficult to plan for irregular expenses like out-of-pocket health care expenses, replacing an HVAC, a big vacation, or a broken transmission…

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Budgeting Tips, Personal Finance Alex Voorhees Budgeting Tips, Personal Finance Alex Voorhees

Do Lenders Really Know How Much Home You Can Afford?

“A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining, but wants it back the minute it begins to rain” - Mark Twain 

Individuals in the process of buying a home with financing usually get a “maximum loan amount” from the bank. Some assume this is a reasonable estimate for what they can actually afford… 

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Personal Finance, Investment Strategy Alex Voorhees Personal Finance, Investment Strategy Alex Voorhees

How We Can Interpret Data Better

My favorite read last year was Factfulness by Hans Rosling. It provides insight into how to approach data - particularly data related to hot button issues. A lot of the book can be boiled down to “ask the next question.“

For example, the other day I saw this headline - “Pasta may be good for your heart health.” I love pasta as much as the next person but I was skeptical…

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