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Four Values to Consider for a Great Life
We all have values…some we choose…others choose us. And our values influence our decisions and how we interact with others and live our lives.Here are four values worth considering to live an extraordinary life…and...
Read MoreRetirement Mistakes You Want to Avoid
Nobody wants to wake up during retirement and discover that your retirement savings can’t support your retirement lifestyle. Proactive planning always provides more options than reactive ones.Here are three retirement mistakes a...
Read More4 Habits of Retired Millionaires
A million dollars in your retirement is a big accomplishment. But, let’s be honest, it’s all relative. A million today is not the same as a million 10 years ago. Nevertheless, it seems that many are striving for a number...
Read MorePost Separation Financial Challenges
Under normal circumstances, financial planning can be one of the keys to the long-term financial health of your family. But imagine that you wake up one day in your adult life and have to start over. Of course, nobody plans for it to...
Read MoreAre You and Your Spouse on the Same Retirement Page?
When it comes to retirement, are you and your spouse on the same page?Almost all couples agree on one thing…they want to retire someday. But that statement can create tension when the conversation remains that broad. The...
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Overcoming the Overwhelm of Starting Your Financial Plan
Let's face it; we all love to be on top of things. Whether we are a planner or not, we love when things are in order, especially our finances. After all, who doesn't enjoy the added confidence of knowing that you have minimized the...
Read MorePlanning for Long-Term Care
If you are in your 40’s, 50’s, or even 60’s and healthy, long-term care may feel irrelevant. After all, there’s still time right?Maybe not.Here are a few common assumptions…or let’s call them...
Read MoreDiscussing Finances with Your Aging Parents
Recently I was asked, "How much should I be involved in my aging parent's finances?" Well, it's not a complicated answer, but every set of parents is different, and a lot depends on your relationship.For example, some parents don't...
Read MoreFive Practical Tips as You Close One Chapter and Open Another
After a long successful career, many ask: Where did the time go?Throughout your career, you probably had to plan for the future…but why do so many find themselves uncertain as they enter retirement?Often our careers feel like a...
Read MoreSpring Cleaning - Consolidating Your Accounts!
Our oldest son is really into monster trucks. It’s tons of fun to play with him and see the tricks he can do with those little diecast treasures – backflips, wheelies, and donuts are just a few stunts frequently on...
Read MoreBeneficiaries - Leaving a Legacy
Quick question for you – do you know how your assets and accounts will be distributed at your death? OK, that’s heavy – I know. But we know that for many, the legacy you leave behind for your heirs is...
Read MoreDo You Need Life Insurance?
Life insurance is one of those “someday” things for many people – but in our opinion the cheapest time to buy it is probably right now. After all, you’ll never be younger than you are right now. To find...
Read MoreThe Power of HSAs
I am a big fan of Health Savings Accounts, also called HSAs. So much so that my wife had to kindly ask me not to submit my application to update my license plate to read “HSA4EVR”. Now that might be a slight exaggeration,...
Read MoreQuestions About Social Security?
We get a lot of questions about Social Security – and rightfully so! Social Security income can be key to a successful retirement, and we are here to help you navigate social security rules and strategies.We are most...
Read MoreCongress Does it Again with SECURE Act 2.0 – How These Changes Might Impact You
Congratulations – you survived 2022! In a year characterized by uncooperative financial markets, geopolitical tensions, and a midterm election, we can all look forward to 2023 in hopes it will usher in more positivity than...
Read MoreBenefits of a Roth 401k
Have you ever wondered if a Roth 401(k) could be right for you? An increasingly common 401(k) feature in recent years has been the option for Roth 401(k) contributions. A Roth 401(k) has some of the same characteristics of its close...
Read MoreContribution Limit Updates for 2023
As we approach the end of another year, it’s a good idea to review your tax-advantaged savings and be sure you’re maximizing all opportunities for which you are eligible. Additionally, there have been quite a few changes to...
Read MoreAre You Ready to Retire?
If you’re nearing this major milestone, it’s likely that you’ve spent some time dreaming of the days of no alarm clocks, no commute, and no punching the clock, but how can you be sure you’re really ready?There...
Read MoreWho Is Managing Your Financial Plan?
Have you ever remodeled part of your home? Or maybe you’ve even built a home? Even if you’ve just watched a bunch of HGTV, you understand the importance of a general contractor. They are the quarterback of...
Read MorePrepare for Open Enrollment
What is open enrollment? The time period each year when you’re allowed to start, stop, or change your health insurance plan.There are two important open enrollment categories of which we would like to...
Read MoreIt’s FAFSA® time!
What is the FAFSA®?The FAFSA® is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and is required as part of the process for applying for student loans, grants, and work study.Many schools hand out aid or grants as they receive...
Read MoreBy the Bucketful
When it comes to retirement, one of the most common questions we hear is “how do I get income?” You’ve saved and accumulated, so how do we now transition your investment accounts into income. Well, there are many...
Read MoreCould a Roth 401(k) Be Right for You?
An increasingly common 401(k) feature in recent years has been the option for Roth 401(k) contributions within this popular workplace retirement plan. A Roth 401(k) has many of the same characteristics of its close relative - the Roth...
Read MoreBeware of Lifestyle Creep!
Lifestyle creep, also called lifestyle inflation, is a financial planning term, and according to BusinessDictionary means “an improvement in the standard of living of people to the extent that luxury goods turn into necessary...
Read MoreIs Inflation Eating at You?
A year ago, I wrote the following in our quarterly newsletter: “We are seeing higher costs in almost everything we do, from prices to autos, lumber, metals, fuel, food, clothing, appliances, home goods, etc. Milk seems to be the...
Read MoreGive a Gift of Love
February is one of my favorite months of the year. Two of my favorite people, my mom and sister, celebrate their birthdays this month, we get Super Bowl Sunday, and best of all, we enjoy a day that’s all about LOVE. Love comes in...
Read MoreNavigating a Near Zero Interest World!
With interest rates so incredibly low we are often asked “How can I make more off my cash savings?” One solution might be to consider I-Bonds offered via the U.S. Treasury Department that are backed by the U.S. government....
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Fatherhood and Finance: Lessons from a New Dad
Parenthood is a funny thing. Regardless of how much you plan, visualize, and anticipate life with a newborn, nothing can truly prepare you for the experience of holding your child for the first time… or for the challenge of...
Read MoreDream Planning - Part 2
So, part I of Dream Planning was the easy part. Think about what you want to do, save the money, and decide on the timing. But let me tell you, for a dream to become the ultimate experience it takes a LOT of RESEARCH, EDUCATION and...
Read MoreDream Planning
Before you have free time to do what you REALLY love, it is best to make a plan so when that time comes, you have everything in place to enjoy your dreams! But for many of us, life gets in the way of planning for and making such...
Read MoreTiming is Everything - Social Security Planning
For many, Social Security is core to their retirement plan. The fixed stream of payments provided by Social Security can be a key element in helping cover expenses during retirement. One question we hear frequently is “When...
Read MoreBefore, During, After - College Considerations
Spring is a time of excitement and celebrations – Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Wedding Season, and Graduation. As many teens celebrate the culmination of their high school careers, we’d like to address...
Read MoreSupercharge Your Health Savings Account
I find myself often talking or writing about the many powerful benefits of a Health Savings Account (HSA). Here is a quick refresher on some of those benefits: Contributions are tax deductible. Any growth inside of the account is tax...
Read MoreEarth Day and Investing for Sustainability
As an advocate for the great outdoors and someone that loves to explore nature’s wonders, I want to celebrate the 52nd Anniversary of Earth Day by highlighting a few things I’ve recently learned and personally witnessed....
Read MoreProtect Your Money and Data from Tax Scammers
It’s that time of year – tax season – and completing taxes for 2020 is likely to be complex and confusing for many Americans. For example, did you know: Unemployment benefits are taxable.1 Stimulus relief checks are...
Read MoreA Lesson From the Millionaire Next Door
I’ve read the book The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko multiple times and it never seems to get old. It’s loaded with very factual, qualitative statistics on millionaires in the United States...
Read MoreLessons From an Exceptionally Instructive Year
Once in a very great while, there comes a year in the economy and the markets that may serve as a tutorial—in effect, a master class in the principles of successful long-term, goal-focused investing. 2020 was just such a year. On...
Read MoreRetirement: Not One Size Fits All
No matter what stage of your career you are in, I’m sure the thought of retirement has crossed your mind a time or two. The retirement party, the vacations, sleeping in, spending time on your golf game – you’ve worked...
Read MoreRoth IRA Conversions
And just like that, 2020 is (finally) coming to a close. As you get your financial house in-order and work through year-end planning, you may want to consider a Roth IRA conversion. Tax Planning is Key The primary consideration in a...
Read MoreYour Retirement Savings and Change in Employment
Whether you leave an employer for a wonderful new opportunity or lose a position because of the pandemic, it’s easy to forget about the money you have saved in your retirement plan. Sometimes, retirement plan savings can stay in...
Read MorePresidential Elections, The Market, and Your Portfolio
A few weeks ago, we distributed a link to our “Half-time Report” video where we touched on factors that could impact market performance for the remainder of 2020. If you missed that and would like to view our full...
Read MoreFiduciary Fundamentals
Choosing a financial advisor is a weighty decision. After all, you are entrusting an advisor with your future, hoping that they will help protect and grow what you have worked so hard to accumulate over the years, so you can realize...
Read MoreImpact of the CARES Act - Part 3
As we continue to navigate the changes of the COVID-19 situation, we have recently written about the various changes the new CARES Act brought about for retirement accounts and Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). I wanted to touch...
Read MoreImpact of the CARES Act - Part 2
Other Considerations for Retirement Accounts Lauren initially wrote about the CARES Act, in this BLOG which focused primarily on a change brought about in this new law that impacts many of our clients – the waiving of Required...
Read MoreFound Money
I originally drafted this blog back in early February with the intention of posting it just prior to the normal tax deadline. Rereading it now I’ve had to make some edits, but fortunately much financial advice is timeless....
Read MoreImpact of the CARES Act on RMDs
I’m sure by now that most of you aware of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was signed into law last Friday. This emergency aid includes provisions such as support for small businesses, expanded...
Read MoreA Snow Day on Steroids
As you might expect, we are getting calls and emails from many clients who are all reacting differently to what is happening in the world today. A number are feeling very uncomfortable with all the news that is circulating, and the...
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