| How the Pension Protection Act helps you (Part II)
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 took important steps to help you plan your retirement. Last month (March 2007 Retirement Benefit Counselor) we discussed how it enhanced your ability to contribute earned income to a company-sponsored retirement plan or an individual retirement account. In addition, the PPA made permanent the tax credits for IRAs and tax-free withdrawals from Section 529 plans for qualified education expenses. First made possible in 2001 by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, these had been set to expire in 2010, along with the larger contribution limits. Now they have been set in stone. Given the federal governments alarm over shortfalls in funding traditional pension plans, as well as the state of retirement saving by working Americans, the goal of these efforts was to strengthen workers ability to save for their later years.
BCE Shares Climb After Reports Pension Fund May Seek Buyout
April 10 (Bloomberg) -- Shares of BCE Inc. surged as much as 6.5 percent after the New York Times and Globe and Mail reported the Canadian telephone company's largest shareholder is in talks with other investors to make a buyout offer. The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan approached Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board to make a $45 billion bid, the Times said, citing unidentified people briefed on the talks. The Globe said Teachers enlisted U.S. buyout firm Providence Equity Partners Inc. to explore a takeover. A deal would place one of Canada's oldest publicly traded companies and the country's most widely held stock in private hands. BCE's share gains have trailed those of rivals since Chief Executive Officer Michael Sabia took over, and he has since cut 9,000 jobs and sold units in a bid to woo back investors.
American Financial Group, Inc. Declares Quarterly Dividend
CINCINNATI -- American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG)(NASDAQ:AFG) announced that it has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share of American Financial Group Common Stock. The dividend is payable on April 25, 2007, to holders of record on April 13, 2007. Through the operations of the Great American Insurance Group, AFG is engaged primarily in property and casualty insurance, focusing on specialized commercial products for businesses, and in the sale of traditional fixed, indexed and variable annuities and a variety of supplemental insurance products.
.
Build Your Retirement Ark to Weather Rocky Stock Market Waters
The recent downturn in the stock market may have unnerved some equity investors. When the market takes a dive, some people's retirement dreams may drift further away and become a deferred reality. But John Barton, a Wichita-based CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, says that when building a retirement ark to weather stock market storms, investors have to be sure that they're being guided by a well-defined investment strategy and not their emotions. Wichita, KS (PRWeb) April 12, 2007 -- The recent downturn in the stock market may have unnerved some equity investors. When the market takes a dive, some people's retirement dreams may drift further away and become a deferred reality. But John Barton, a Wichita-based CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, says that when building a retirement ark to weather stock market storms, investors have to be sure that they're being guided by a well-defined investment strategy and not their emotions.
10 tax tips
April 17 is less than three weeks away - have you finished filing your income tax returns yet? If you haven't, rest assured you're not the only one running around looking for receipts, pay stubs and other documents you vowed to keep in a safe place when you filed last year. To help you out - and maybe earn you a refund - we talked to certified tax preparer Whitnie Preuss, 28, of Lansing from X-Tax for some handy filing hints and a few tips for next year too. 1. Phone savings The government has been overcharging on phone tax, Preuss explains, so if you've had a telephone with long-distance service in your name within the past three years, you are eligible for a one-time credit of up to $60. .
|
