Insights
When to Take Social Security?
Taking Social Security is a big decision that can significantly impact your retirement earnings. It’s hard to optimize your Social Security perfectly unless you can predict how long you’ll live; however, there are some things to consider when making the decision. Let us know if you’d like to discuss your options!
A Perspective on Cryptocurrency
More questions are coming up about cryptocurrencies, especially after an election in which they became a hot topic at times. What are cryptocurrencies? How do they work? And maybe most important, should they be part of my portfolio?
Getting Started with Your Retirement Plan
We meet with many participants who are signing up for their retirement plans at work. It should be easy to get started with a retirement plan, but not every employer provides a strong education process for sign-up. For many participants, that could result in not saving for retirement with the benefits of the company plan. This video provides general information participants should know when preparing to sign up for their company retirement plan.
Saving for College with a 529 Plan
The cost of college has skyrocketed in recent years. The right savings strategy can help you prepare for education expenses through asset growth, tax advantages, and a consistent approach. We believe 529 plans provide a favorable way to proactively save for education because they can deliver those features and help people prepare for investment in education. Listen here for more and don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to talk more about 529s.
Retirement Plan Options
We work with many people who have retirement plan accounts and often get questions about what to do with them when they leave the company. This is a quick overview of the options available to most participants.
Mutual Funds v. ETF’s
There are thousands of investment options across stocks, bonds, Mutual Funds, ETF’s, and others. Today we’ll explain more about Mutual Funds and ETF’s – how they are alike and how they are different.
How Much do I need to Retire?
The question of “How much do I need to retire?” is complex, and the answer varies depending on certain assumptions. Planning for retirement is a critical piece of your overall financial management. Unfortunately, many people have no idea how much they need to save to retire comfortably. So, how much do you need to retire? That answer depends on specific circumstances, including how early you want to retire, your lifestyle preferences, and your healthcare needs.
Tax Topic - Potential State Tax Exemption
Income paid from U.S. government bonds is taxable at the Federal level but may be exempt from state income tax for many people. The 1099 Composite forms do not usually have enough information included to calculate this potential exemption alone, but with information from the fund managers, it's possible to see what potential savings there may be.
Market Topic: Valuation & Returns
This Market Topic provides information on the Shiller CAPE ratio and the historical relationship between valuations and forward returns.
Fresh Year - New Financial You
Many of us approach the new year with resolutions to be physically healthier. That may include pledges to exercise more, eat better, or lose weight. We think it’s also a good time to look at your overall financial health with proactive and purposeful management.
Maximizing Charitable Giving: Exploring Qualified Charitable Distributions
Retirees may be able to achieve charitable giving goals and reduce taxable income through the use of Qualified Charitable Distributions from Individual Retirement Accounts. Read more here.
Should I Open a 529 Plan?
College is really expensive these days. Saving in advance can make a significant impact on reducing future student loans. But how to save for college really depends on each investor’s personal situation.
Bond Basics
Bonds are an important part of many portfolios, but what are they, and how do they work?
Budgeting - Everyone’s Favorite Thing to Do
Okay, so budgeting is not exactly everyone’s favorite thing to do – or really even close. We don’t work hard all day only to get home at night and say “Hey, forget binge-watching the latest season of Ted Lasso tonight, I have an idea that’ll be way more fun – let’s set up a budget!” But it’s really important when planning for your financial future.
Inflation - The Big Picture
Inflation has been a buzzword this year. What is it and what could it mean for you?
Should I Invest in a Roth IRA?
It can be confusing to understand the nuances of whether to invest in a Roth vs. a Traditional IRA. How are they different and how should you decide which to use?
Win by Not Losing
It’s normal to think you have to “win” to win - but with wealth, sometimes you actually win by not losing.