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Here's Your Year-end Investment Checklist

by Shalana Poole
Edward Jones Advisor
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We’ve pretty much seen it all this past year— a bear market, a long rally and even a period of neither-up-nor-down. But even though we’ve only got a few weeks left of 2009, you still have time to make some moves that can pay off for you in 2010 — and beyond.

Here are a few suggestions to consider:

• “Max out” on your IRA — and make regular contributions next year. For the 2009 tax year, you can contribute up to $5,000 to a traditional or Roth IRA, or $6,000 if you’re 50 or older. And you have until April 15, 2010, to fully fund your 2009 IRA. Of course, it’s not always easy to come up with lump sums of money, but do whatever you can to make up for any shortfalls in your IRA for 2009. And in 2010, consider setting up automatic monthly contributions to your IRA — it’s a much more efficient way to maximize a great retirement-savings vehicle.

• Increase your 401(k) contributions. If your employer permits it, try to add more money to your 401(k) or other retirement plan before the year ends. By increasing your 401(k) contributions, you can lower your adjusted taxable income while you potentially build more resources for retirement.

• Convert your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. Depending on your individual situation, a Roth IRA, which offers the potential for tax free growth, provided you meet certain conditions, may be a better choice for you than a traditional IRA, which offers the potential for growth on a tax deferred basis. Consequently, if you meet eligibility limits, you may want to convert your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. However, this conversion is likely going to be a “taxable event,” so you’ll need to have money available outside your IRA for the tax bill. You’ll want to discuss this move with your tax advisor.

• Sell your “losers.” If it’s appropriate for your portfolio balance and long-term goals, you may want to sell some investments that have lost value to take the tax losses. If these losses exceeded your capital gains from selling appreciated stocks, you can deduct up to $3,000 (or $1,500 for married couples filing separately) against your other income, reducing the amount on which you must pay taxes. And if you lost more than $3,000, you can carry over the excess into subsequent years. Consult with a tax advisor before selling investments to claim a tax loss.

• Consolidate your investment accounts. Instead of having an IRA with one firm, some other investments with another and a cash-value insurance policy with a third, you might want to consolidate all your assets with one provider. That way, you’ll be better able to align all your assets with a central, unified investment strategy.

• Review your insurance coverage. Over the course of a year, you could experience significant changes in your life: marriage or divorce, the birth of a new child or the departure of an older child from your home, the start of a new job or retirement from an old one, and so on. That’s why you’ll want to make sure you have the right amount and type of insurance to protect your family and your financial future.

By making these moves, you can close out 2009 on a positive note — while positioning yourself for progress on your long-term goals.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, its associates and financial advisors are not estate planners and cannot provide tax or legal advice.

To contact Shalana Poole at Edward Jones call (512) 894-0665 or e-mail her by clicking here.

What about a Backup?

If you are new computer user first you should learn about the importance and need of back up. Because without backup yon can lose your data any time due to any virus, power failure and hard disk problem. This has happened to many people. In extreme cases, it has put companies out of business. Computers are becoming more and more reliable. This creates a false sense of security - we begin to think all our data are safe and secure and will never go away. It's not true - and never will be. If you don't back up your computer system regularly. Backups are really a necessity, and you are responsible for making backups of your files.