Blog

Making a marriage last is hard work. This is no secret to anyone who is or has been married, because life gets complicated.

They say that good things come to those who wait. And when we’re talking about Roth IRAs, this is certainly true, since we don’t typically reap their benefits for years.

For decades, we’ve been encouraged to contribute as much as possible to these plans, with the idea being that you will be in a lower tax bracket when you retire – and therefore you’ll pay fewer taxes on these funds than if you’d forgone the tax break upfront. Of course, our economic landscape has changed since the traditional IRA and 401(k) first gained widespread use, with IRA’s first becoming popular in the 1970’s and the 401(k) following in the early 1980’s. The highest tax bracket in the 1970’s was 70% and it dropped to 50% in the early 1980s, so we can see how workers believed they’d pay less once they retired and were taking less income.

In a world filled with distractions, procrastination, and competing priorities, it can be all too easy to put off important tasks or decisions, believing that there will always be a more opportune moment in the future. However, the wisdom of this adage challenges this assumption, asserting that the most opportune moment to act is often the present.

Making positive changes doesn’t have to be hard. Resolutions don’t need to be grand or life changing. One-time steps and small adjustments can add up to real change and give us a sense of accomplishment too. So, I’d like to spend our time this week reviewing some areas you might focus on to position yourself for greater success, both financially and health-wise, without requiring a serious time commitment. 

With the 2024 Holiday season in full swing, I find myself looking forward to the joyful weeks ahead. From spending time with my family (especially those we see only a few times each year) to good food, beautiful snowfalls, thankful for the birth of our Savior, and lots of laughs; this is truly a wondrous time of year.