The end of the year is the perfect time to clean up your portfolio, says our guest, Dan Forbes, CFP®. Many moons ago, Dan was my intern and he is now the owner of the thriving Forbes Financial Planning in RI, where he specializes in working with individuals and small businesses. He was named a Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Ambassador and appeared in the Board’s media campaign in 2014. He is the financial planning expert and weekly contributor to www.GoLocalProv.com and also appears on NBC 10 and ABC6, and contributes to Providence Business News, US World & News Report and Time Magazine.

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Dan noted that end of the year is a perfect time to dump tax losers and to also clean up your portfolio. He warned that you should compare your positions to the appropriate benchmarks. Dan mentioned an interesting Morningstar article about 529 plans and also mentioned that immediate annuities are once again back on his front burner.

Finally, Dan was nice enough to mention the fact that I was named one of the top 10 Influencers on LinkedIn...and I am keeping some pretty fancy company on this list!

Here are a few of the resources that we mentioned during the show:

• NY Times Rent vs. Buy calculator
• Roth IRA calculator

Thanks to everyone who participated this week, especially Mark, the Best Producer in the World. Here's how to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet us: @jillonmoney and @MTalercio

Ed Slott, CPA is a nationally recognized IRA expert, television personality and best-selling author who has dedicated his life to educating Americans on saving for retirement and the intricacies of IRAs.  He was named “The Best Source for IRA Advice” by The Wall Street Journal and is the author of numerous best-selling books, which is why we are so happy he joined the show to help you make smart, year-end money moves.

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 Ed covered a lot of ground, including a great rule of thumb about filing for Social Security: "The longer you wait, the more you get!" Here's a quick list of things to remember to maximize the remaining days of 2015:

• Make your 2015 Roth IRA conversion and consider a back door conversion, if you earn too much money to qualify for a contribution
• Check the taxes on stock or mutual fund sales; use losses to offset gains
• Max out your retirement accounts (yes, there's still time to get to $18,000 or $24,000 if you are over age 50)
• Take Required Minimum Distributions: RMDs must start in the year you turn 70 1/2 or the year. Fail to do so and the amount you should have withdrawn will be taxed at 50 percent!
• Donate your IRA distributions to charity: Although this is still in limbo, Ed recommends that you take advantage of it and assume that Congress will once again make it part of an extender package
• Check / Update Beneficiary Forms
• Bunch your deductions and if you are self-employed, project your 2016 income. If it will be higher than 2015, consider deferring income and expenses until next year, when you are in a higher tax bracket
• Be aware of stealth taxes

Check out Ed's web site www.IRAHelp.com for more information!

Thanks to everyone who participated this week, especially Mark, the Best Producer in the World. Here's how to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet us: @jillonmoney and @MTalercio

As you scramble to complete your holiday shopping, listen to the great questions that we field this week. We start with Karen from Iowa, who holds a large nest egg in illiquid investments. We then shift to Karen, who is getting into the holiday spirit by gifting to her children. (Anyone can give up to $14,000 to an individual without worrying about taxation.

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Steve is trying to decide how to manage his rental income and Dennis wanted to know about Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).

With just days to go before 2015, check out these year-end money moves!

• 8 Year-End Tax-Planning Tips
• 5 Year-End Retirement Tips

Our guest Gary Zimmerman of MaxMyInterest.com explains his cool new service is like “Uber for cash” and how it can help you boost your returns with NO RISK!

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. Check out Mark's first-producing credit for this CBS Evening News segment that aired recently. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet us: @jillonmoney and @MTalercio

What a treat to have retirement plan expert Ed Slott CPA join the show to help make smart year-end financial decisions! Ed is a nationally recognized IRA expert, television personality and best-selling author who has dedicated his life to educating Americans on saving for retirement and the intricacies of IRAs.

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• Download this week's show (MP3)

Among his many pearls of wisdom, delivered with his awesome Long island accent, Ed reminded us to do the following before the clock strikes midnight on December 31, 2014:

• Make your 2014 Roth IRA conversion
• Be aware of new IRA rollover rules
• Max out your retirement accounts
• Take Required Minimum Distributions
• Check / Update Beneficiary Forms
• Be aware of stealth taxes
• Consider donating your IRA distributions to charity
• Use Your Gifting Limits

In the first hour of the show, we had a terrific call from Mike in Texas, Sharon in CT and Mike in Maryland, all of whom needed guidance on financial advisors.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. Check out Mark's first-producing credit for this CBS Evening News segment that aired recently. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet us: @jillonmoney and @MTalercio

It is unbelievable that this is our 150th show. When we started this project three years ago, our goal was clear: to create a radio show for smart people, who need help with their financial lives. Mark and I are happy to report that our fan base has been better than we could have ever imagined--thank you all for listening!

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Throughout the program, we highlight the "14 Money Tips for 2014" and of course answer some great questions!

Linda is a retiree with ample income - does she really need a emergency reserve fund? Meanwhile, Jane and her husband wanted a reality check on whether they can afford early retirement, while Kim is wondering if its OK to buy her retirement dream condo a few years early.

Is it reasonable to dump a long-care policy when you are 77? Karen says that it's becoming increasingly difficult to pay the premiums on her fixed income.

Gary and Steven tell the flip sides of market timing: one waiting for stocks to correct last year, while the other was fortunate enough to invest in stocks last year, even through he probably should never have risked the money in the first place.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. Let me know if you think we should provide Mark with a little space to vent his various grievances with you...we're considering calling it "Mark's Musings". If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet me: @jillonmoney

In the post-Polar Vortex show, many of you want to know the answer to a simple question: "When can I retire?" The answer is different for everyone, but the basics are the same: (1) you need to know what your required income will be in retirement, (2) you should tally up what you can expect from pension and Social Security and (3) assume 3 to 3.5 percent annually from your investment accounts.

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I followed those three steps to help listeners Wayne and John figure out whether or not they can retire. In both cases, there was very good news!

Lyle asked about the consolidation and allocation of his retirement accounts, while Gary is trying to start over with a savings plan and Ralph wanted to know about the safety of various mutual fund companies. Neal might take a cue from Roger about rebalancing his various accounts--there are a bunch of companies that can assist investors (MarketRiders, Betterment)  for a reasonable monthly fee. Both Brian and Tracy asked about various types of financial advice. To great resources to find an advisor are: the Financial Planning Association, which has an easy-to-use tool and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA).

Bobby reminded us about the IRS' Saver's Credit and Richard likely needs to see an elder-care attorney to discuss options for his mother.

Dennis wrote to thank me for my two recent articles on estate planning: Estate Planning Basics and Estate Settlement Basics and Maria asked about Social Security Widow benefits.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. Let me know if you think we should provide Mark with a little space to vent his various grievances with you...we're considering calling it "Mark's Musings". If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet me: @jillonmoney

No gloating about those massive stock market gains of 2013...it's time to look ahead and plan for 2014 and beyond!

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Yes, it was the best year for US stocks since the 1990's, but that's cold comfort for diversified investors, who no doubt are feeling a bit of “asset class envy” right about now. Sure, your brain is telling you that the point of being diversified is that you have a mix of different asset classes included in your portfolio, some of which zig when others zag.  But we know how your heart is just pining to own “the right” asset class every year. Sadly, it's just not possible, so why not concentrate on the basics and quit the second-guessing?

This week's show was a perfect example of how core financial issues can be just as important as investment performance. Daryl asked about maintaining an old whole life insurance policy, while Fred is interested in long-term care insurance.

On the investment front, Gary wondered about index vs. managed funds; Peter is concerned about his muni bond fund; Mike is trying to diversify his portfolio in advance of retirement and Roy is attempting to find a financial advisor.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet me: @jillonmoney

While you are busily returning your holiday bling, tune into this week's show for some sound financial advice.

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There are just two business days left in the year, but there's still time to take advantage of money saving ideas before we ring in 2014. Check out these two posts for some ideas:

• Year-End Planning: Investing
• Year-End Planning: Benefits, Retirement

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet me: @jillonmoney

Hope we can keep you company as you race around the last days before Christmas! Remember, there's still time to do some last minute year-end planning, so check out the show!

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Mitch from MN and Mary from NC are finding that the much-lauded asset under management (AUM) model of advisory fees is not the best fit in every situation. If you are in the market for an advisor, here are some resources:

• 10 Questions to Ask Financial Advisors
• Financial Planning Association Planner Search
• NAPFA Planner serach

Francis from Boston asked about structured settlements, which led to the old saying that "If it's too good to be true..."

Ed and Ron weighed in with Social Security questions; Howard and Glen asked about estate planning; and Robert and Roy had retirement issues.

If you need year-end tips, check out these two posts:

• Year-End Planning: Investing
• Year-End Planning: Benefits, Retirement

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet me: @jillonmoney

Tick-tock...before you shut down for the holidays, spend a little time focusing on your financial life. You may find some easy ways to boost your bottom line!

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Here are a few ideas for year-end planning -- we'll cover more ideas in next week's show!

1. Sell winners in taxable accounts. If you are at the zero percent capital gains rate now, but expect your income to be higher later, you may want to realize capital gains today at the lower rate. Your taxable income includes the gain, so make sure that you factor that in when you make your decision.
2. Sell losers. If you have investment losses in a taxable account, now is the time to use those losers to your advantage. You can sell losing positions to offset gains that you have taken previously in the year, to minimize your tax hit. If you have more losses than gains, you can deduct up to $3,000 of losses against ordinary income.
3. Avoid getting soaked by a wash sale. If you are starting to clean up your non-retirement accounts to take losses, don't get soaked by the "Wash Sale" rule. The IRS won't let you deduct a loss if you buy a "substantially identical" investment within 30 days, what's known as a wash sale.

Sherilyn kicked off the show with a question about how to save for college-something that Dennis is also considering for his niece's kids. Greg and Bill weighed in with investment questions, while Maria needed help with kick-starting retirement.

Martin, Bryson and Denise had questions about estate planning. In case you missed it, here are three posts that I put together in the aftermath of my father's death:

Care for the Caregiver

Estate Planning Basics 

Estate Settlement Basics

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet me: @jillonmoney