The 401(k) was originally designed as a supplement for a traditional, defined benefit pension plan. Now, few companies offer defined benefit pensions; the 401(k) is the retirement plan. Between the tax benefits and the habit of saving, 401(k) plan participation can be a huge help in getting you set up to retire. Some companies allow… [Read More]
Blog
Category: Financial Advice
Miscellaneous items in my in-box, October 10, 2013
What with a government shutdown, a new Federal Reserve chief, and gorgeous weather here in Chicago, my inbox has been full of press releases and passed-on articles. Here are a few that you may find interesting, too: Looting of public pension funds: More perspective on the mess that just about every city and state faces…. [Read More]
Living without cable TV
Cable TV is expensive. The customer service is horrible. And it’s unnecessary. I’ve never had and rarely missed it. And I don’t understand why so many people put up with the hassle of it. It helps to live in Chicago, where it is flat and television signals carry far. Without cable, we get over 50… [Read More]
Spoiler alert: It’s unreasonable to keep them a secret
We’re too cheap to have cable here, so I’ve been catching up with Breaking Bad through Netflix. Tonight will be the finale, and I’m sure I’ll know by tomorrow morning what will happen. And yet, that’s okay. Spoilers aren’t valuable. It seems like a big deal – Darth Vader is really Luke’s father! – and… [Read More]
Life is fair, mathematically speaking
Too many people I know and love are dealing with too many awful things right now. And so often, when discussing these situations, someone says, “life isn’t fair.” I disagree. But not in the sense of reward and retribution. Rather, stuff happens to us all at random. When I hear “life isn’t fair”, I think… [Read More]
