| Helios Advisory Service

Ten Tips

My friend Peter Carlson, Seattle CPA and owner of West Coast Tax and Accounting, came up with this sensible list. He is wise fellow.

1. Fund your Roth IRA or regular IRA fully, as soon as you can.

2. Get term life insurance if you have a family to support.

3. Pay off your credit cards.

4. Fund your 401(k) or deferred compensation plan as soon as you can with as much as you can afford.

5. Build up to six months' expenses in a money market or savings account.

6. Make a will.

7. Buy a home to live in; buy it only if you can afford it with a fixed loan. Take care of #1 and #4 first.

8. Take what is left and invest it in a mix of stocks and bonds, adjust periodically but otherwise don't pay too much attention to it.

9. If you have a complicated situation, unusual circumstances, or want help with the math, get help from a CPA, a , or tax attorney.

10. Don't make changes in your life just to accommodate tax laws.