Posts by Marcus F. Johnson, CFPⓇ

Like so many areas, social media cyber-attacks are on the rise, both on individual accounts and wider platform hacks. While you can’t prevent a large, headline-making hack, you can take practical steps like these to protect your own information: Always use complex passwords on your social media accounts and update them frequently. When filling out…

With almost two months of the new year elapsed, it’s a good time to look at how well your recent behavior aligns with your financial goals. If there’s room for improvement, you might consider applying one of these savings strategies. Try a financial fast. Just as intermittent fasting from food has become popular among dieters…

When you were a child, you dreamed about what you’d do when you grew up. If you’re middle aged, you may be dreaming about what you’ll do when you retire. Retirement looks different today than it once did, with second careers becoming more and more popular. According to a Federal Reserve Board study, one third…

Thursday has been designated World Cancer Day to encourage prevention, early detection, and treatment. In that light, today’s article addresses paying for cancer treatment while on Medicare. Cancer is one of the costliest medical conditions to treat. While typical cancer drugs can cost $10,000 per month, some run many times that. And the single greatest…

Because marriage is a 50/50 partnership, both spouses should be involved in retirement planning – even if only one works outside the home. Working spouses can show appreciation for stay-at-home partners, many of whom selflessly left jobs to care for family members, by helping them build a secure future. Here are a few things to…

Most of us recognize the importance of creating a thorough, well-reasoned estate plan. But we may not give adequate thought to choosing an executor to carry out the provisions of our wills. It’s all too easy to default to a relative without objectively weighing their qualifications or the challenges they may face. Because of the…

The majority of Americans have embraced the convenience of online, automatic bill payments. Autopay can save time, reduce clutter, and prevent missed payments, which may impair credit scores or lead to penalties. It also offers more control – allowing us to schedule the payment – compared to not knowing when a check will arrive or…

For many of us, Social Security plays an important part in our financial plans for retirement or later stage of life. So even if you’re years away from applying for benefits, there are good reasons to set up your online Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. You can go online to ensure there aren’t any gaps…

Once you complete this year’s taxes, you may wonder what to do with that pile of records, 1099s, receipts, and bank statements. The IRS recommends holding on to any documents related to the income you’re reporting or any deduction or credit you’re claiming, including: Proof of income, including W-2s and 1099s, bank and brokerage statements,…

In late December, Congress passed a $900 billion stimulus package, which included $600 checks to qualifying citizens. After initially refusing to sign the bill unless the checks were increased to $2,000, President Trump signed it. Although the House voted to increase the checks, the Senate didn’t pick up the vote, leaving the original package unchanged.…