4 Things To Do When Moving from W-2 to Consulting Status

4 Things To Do When Moving from W-2 to Consulting Status

I made a lot of mistakes when transitioned from a W-2 employee to a self-employed consultant. I wasn’t yet a financial planner and nobody in my life at the time had gone through this process. Here is what you need to know to have a much smoother transition than I did.

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Ask Linda: Gifting Stock to my Child

Ask Linda: Gifting Stock to my Child

I want to gift some of the concentrated stock in my brokerage account to my adult child. I am tired of managing the stock and feeling like I need to stay on top of the earnings reports, news, etc. I would rather gift it to him and have the rest of my portfolio in low-cost, diversified positions. The stock has a very low basis and will incur a large amount of long-term capital gains upon selling. What are your thoughts?

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Ask Linda: Is it safe to have all of my money at one Brokerage firm?

Ask Linda: Is it safe to have all of my money at one Brokerage firm?

I remember being told that I shouldn't keep more than $250,000 at one bank since that is the FDIC insurance limit. What about my money at a brokerage institution, such as Schwab, Vanguard, or Fidelity? Should I spread my money out across brokerage firms as well? Should I spread my money out across brokerage firms as well? How do I best keep my money safe?

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