While most spring cleaning projects are likely focused on your home, you could take this time to evaluate and clean up your personal finances as well.

Oasis Wealth's Founder and Wealth Advisor, Steve Martin, provided his wisdom in an article in the National Federation of Independent Businesses site that dealt with working with business owners planning for retirement. In this Karen Sams April, 2017 article titled "Retirement Planning Musts for Small Business Owners" in the NFIB, Steve stresses the importance of tying the analysis of the business income and the business sale with the personal retirement analysis. Steve stressed that the "analysis should include cash flow and net worth projections, estimated living expenses, income taxes incurred upon the sale of the business and throughout retirement, and major purchases in retirement."

If you are over age 50 and unsure about your ability to meet your retirement goals, there is still time to take action to meet those goals. The IRS allows special catch-up contributions that most individuals do not take advantage of – do not lose out on this gift from Congress.

Although the year is drawing to a close, you still have time to review your finances. Pausing to reflect on the financial progress you made in 2016 and identifying adjustments for 2017 can help you start the new year stronger than ever.

Losing your job can create unwanted financial stress, but there are smart financial moves you can make to sail through this change in your life.

As the 2017 key tax and retirement numbers are out, it is a good idea to start planning on how and when to take advantage of the breaks as well as to plan for the various thresholds and phaseouts.

Your teenager may not get rich mowing lawns or babysitting the neighborhood children, but contributing some of those weekend earnings to a Roth IRA can pave the road to a more secure financial future. Though Roth IRA contributions are not tax deductible, most teens pay little or no taxes anyway, and Roth IRAs will allow their money to grow tax-free for decades.

Employing a financial planner is not an inexpensive proposition, so the obvious question is, “Are they worth it?” Morningstar and Vanguard have each undertaken studies to quantify the impact good of a good advisor from an investment standpoint, but true fee-only financial planners can add significant value above and beyond the investments. Many folks want a trusted, objective advisor to help them achieve their goals.