Eric Hagen 4/10/12 Eric Hagen 4/10/12

What Happens to Our Social Media Identity When We Die?

If you use Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, you may have wondered what happens when users die. Are profiles immortal? Are memories lost? Few users really know.

Eric Hagen 4/9/12 Eric Hagen 4/9/12

4/9 Economic Update

Eric Hagen 4/2/12 Eric Hagen 4/2/12

4/2 Economic Update

Eric Hagen 3/30/12 Eric Hagen 3/30/12

How Much Retirement Income Will You Really Need?

Many people underestimate lifestyle costs, medical expenses and inflation.

Eric Hagen 3/28/12 Eric Hagen 3/28/12

Ways to Put a Refund to Work...

Is a tax refund coming your way? If you have already received your refund for 2012 or are about to receive it, you might want to think about the destiny of that money. Here are some possibilities:

Eric Hagen 3/26/12 Eric Hagen 3/26/12

3/26 Economic Update

Eric Hagen 3/22/12 Eric Hagen 3/22/12

Could Gas Prices Harm the Recovery?

By March 16, retail gas prices were up 16.94% YTD. This major climb is leading some economists to wonder if the leap in gas prices is powerful enough to stall our economic momentum.

Eric Hagen 3/20/12 Eric Hagen 3/20/12

China, Its Currency & the Global Economy

Right now, there are dozens of mutual funds and ETFs devoted explicitly to investing in China’s impressive emerging market. Even with the risk of asset bubbles, the promise of China is simply too tantalizing to ignore for many. The question is whether its economy can maintain its powerful momentum in 2012. If not, the impact on global investors could be significant.

Eric Hagen 3/19/12 Eric Hagen 3/19/12

3/19 Economic Update

Eric Hagen 3/15/12 Eric Hagen 3/15/12

Tax Corporations Less... Tax Dividends More?

On Capitol Hill, a rough consensus is starting to emerge: a feeling that the corporate tax rate should be reduced to help U.S. firms stay globally competitive. At the same time, President Obama’s 2013 federal budget proposes a massive tax hike on corporate dividends, a change that could harshly impact the individual investor.

Eric Hagen 3/13/12 Eric Hagen 3/13/12

Underpublicized 2012 Tax Changes & Reminders

Every year, the IRS institutes big and little changes – and some don’t get as much notice as they should. This year is no exception. Here is a rundown of some of alterations and asterisks affecting taxpayers this year.

Eric Hagen 3/12/12 Eric Hagen 3/12/12

3/12 Economic Update

Eric Hagen 3/5/12 Eric Hagen 3/5/12

3/5 Economic Update

Eric Hagen 2/27/12 Eric Hagen 2/27/12

2/27 Economic Update

Eric Hagen 2/23/12 Eric Hagen 2/23/12

Obama's Proposed 2013 Budget & the Taxpayer

The wealthiest taxpayers could be hit hard if the tax hikes in President Obama’s 2013 federal budget proposal become law. The good news is that the tax changes outlined by the President in mid-February may be softened by eventual bipartisan compromise. As currently proposed, they would impact the wealthiest Americans on several fronts.

Eric Hagen 2/22/12 Eric Hagen 2/22/12

Small Business Owner Event - "How to Use Social Media to Grow"

Eric Hagen 2/21/12 Eric Hagen 2/21/12

2/21/12 Economic Update

Eric Hagen 2/14/12 Eric Hagen 2/14/12

The Landmark Mortgage Settlement

Big news, but will it make a big difference? On February 9, the Justice Department announced it had struck a settlement approaching $26 billion with the major U.S. mortgage servicers. This is the biggest multistate settlement of any kind since the Big Tobacco payout of 1998, with five big banks (Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Ally Financial and Wells Fargo) agreeing to make amends for robo-signing and other consumer abuses. Other lenders may join them in the deal.1,2 While this is all well and good, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan conceded to the press on February 9 that...

Eric Hagen 2/13/12 Eric Hagen 2/13/12

2/13/12 Weekly Update

Eric Hagen 2/6/12 Eric Hagen 2/6/12

Facebook's IPO (Initial Public Offering)

Anticipation is high. Facebook filed an S-1 form with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 1, taking its first big step toward going public. It aims to raise $5 billion through its upcoming IPO. Some of the details from the S-1 form...