Aspen Financial Services

College Funding

Use this calculator to estimate the cost of your child’s education, based on the variables you input.

IRA Eligibility

Use this calculator to determine whether you qualify for the different types of IRAs.

Cost of Retirement

Use this calculator to estimate how much income and savings you may need in retirement.

Mortgage Refinancing

Determine whether you should consider refinancing your mortgage.

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Growth, Value, or Both

The average annual return for large-cap value stocks was about 2.1% higher than for large-cap growth stocks, yet growth stocks outperformed value stocks in 13 out of 30 years. This article examines the difference between the two approaches and describes why holding both may help investors take advantage of a variety of market conditions.

Rising Popularity of Roth IRA as Retirement Vehicle

Investment in the Roth IRA has been growing dramatically. Fueling the growth of this popular investment vehicle are tax-free distributions in retirement and no mandatory withdrawals due to age. Compare the trade-offs of Roth IRAs with traditional IRAs, including eligibility limitations, annual contribution limits, and withdrawal considerations.

Consider Your Retirement Needs, but Don't Forget Your Retirement Wants

A rule of thumb is that workers will need to replace about 80% of their pre-retirement incomes to maintain their standard of living in retirement. But they may need more than 80% to fund a lifestyle that they can truly look forward to. As people grow older, what once may have been considered luxuries can become basic needs.

Making Money Market Funds Work for You

Some investors turn to money market funds when they are concerned about market volatility. Although money market funds may carry less risk than stocks, investing in them as a reaction to market volatility also carries the risk of missing out on potential gains when the market begins to recover.

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