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For many people, a new year provides a new start—and nothing says "new start" like a fresh new set of financial goals. But setting these goals is easier said than done. What steps should you take to get the most bang for your...

Spend as much time fixing your mistakes as you do planning the holidays You probably spend more time planning your holiday gathering than preparing for your golden years. As a result, you make basic mistakes in trying to fund your...

Although you don't have to wait until January to begin working on your financial goals, a new year may bring a much-needed fresh start on your spending and saving goals. Read on for three financial moves you may want to consider before...

A financial professional can help guide you through the maze of IRS rules Contributing to charities comes with a load of tax rules. Here’s are a few things to think about.. Every April 16th (or in 2020, July 16th) should remind...

In a late-October victory for construction companies, public utilities, and electric vehicle manufacturers alike, Congress passed a trillion-dollar bill designed to preserve, revitalize, and expand the country's infrastructure....

To ease some of the burdens of the upcoming tax season, this helpful guide will help you become familiar with important dates, deadlines, challenges, and opportunities that may come up toward the end of the year. Of course, if you have...

Long-term care insurance is a type of insurance that covers the costs related to long-term, chronic health concerns. It may cover things that traditional health insurance does not cover, such as personal care services. If you have a...

Many people are familiar with the scammers who promise to pay millions of dollars in exchange for briefly holding funds in your bank account or those who offer to enhance certain body parts risk-free. Today's scammers are clever at...

It may be easy to forget we're nearing the end of the year. Even during the busy end of year rush, it's a good time to reevaluate your 2021 finances and turn an eye toward 2022. What can you do now to potentially improve and streamline...

Congress was able to push back a fast-approaching deadline for raising the debt ceiling to December. Markets applauded the move with a relief rally. Despite decreased uncertainty in the near term, we may be confronted with the same...

Does your retirement seem years and years away? While it may appear this way, you owe it to yourself to look ahead and begin giving thought to a time in your life that may account for 20 or more "golden" years. Granted, time may be on...

It is common for people to put off planning their estates. After all, no one wants to anticipate his or her own death. In addition, many people may believe that only the wealthy require estate planning or that all that is involved is...

In 2013, a Gallup poll found that only about one in every three U.S. households maintained a budget.1 A 2021 survey of 1,000 Americans found that 80% now say they have a budget.2 Americans are budgeting more due to the pandemic....

According to statistics from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), real estate is the second most targeted industry for cyber-attacks. The FBI reported almost $150 million in real-estate-related fraud in 2018, with scams aimed at...

Although we all know that “time flies,” it seems to move particularly fast as we watch our children grow. Yet, in considering a college future for a newborn, it is understandable that parents might procrastinate, since...

America's major stock market indexes, including the Dow Jones Industrial, S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite and Nasdaq 100, all hit record highs on July 7, 2021.1 For some investors, it might be tempting to tap into your 401(k) to help pay...

When Judy purchased her life insurance policy 10 years ago, she thought her insurance planning was complete. She assumed that if she paid her premiums on time, she could sit back and not think about life insurance anymore. Judy’s...

Data breaches are far too common. They can affect hundreds of millions or sometimes billions at one time. From Yahoo's breach of more than three billion user profiles in 2013 to LinkedIn's breach of 700,000 profiles in June 2021, many...

With refinancing rates remaining low, now may be the time to consider refinancing your mortgage. Current rates are averaging around 2.80% (July 31, 2021). It might be a good time to evaluate your current mortgage.1 When Should You...

Stagnant wage growth, rising inflation and low interest rates are real issues! The idea of retiring at age 65 with a gold watch and a fully-funded retirement account is a quaint notion for many Americans. Amid stagnating real wages,...

There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but tactical shifting might make sense! Wise investors alter their approaches as market cycles shift, from bull to bear to something in between. A consistent strategy might be far more risky than...

Be prepared as rates will inevitably go up – whether that’s 2022 or 2023! A few days before the official start of summer on June 21st, Wall Street’s eyes and ears were on the Federal Reserve, and as expected, the...

If you pay attention to financial news, you are probably seeing a lot of discussion about inflation, which has reared its head in the U.S. economy after being mostly dormant for the last decade. In May 2021, the Consumer Price Index...

Many people associate the term "financial wellness" with things like saving for retirement, paying down high-interest debt, or creating an emergency fund. But when you're living with a disability (or caring for a loved one who is...

Unless you have accumulated substantial wealth where money is not a concern, you face a critical task when you reach retirement to make sure that your assets will support you through your lifetime. When you retire and no longer earn an...

Markets, economists and policymakers have been fretting about inflation for months, worried that the trillions of dollars being spent in recent and future government stimulus programs could overheat the economy and send prices soaring....

Additional insurance to protect your assets and future. Why doesn’t anyone ever tell you not to buy an umbrella liability policy? It seems like additional overall security for pennies. Sure, you can spend pennies paying for...

Financial Infidelity is when both partners in a relationship keep secrets from each other concerning money. Financial Infidelity can be avoided in a relationship only if both partners are honest and keep track of money together....

Grandparents can often find themselves in a better financial position to save for their grandchildren's education than their own children are. The parents of prospective students may still be contending with competing priorities like...

For many Americans, the home is the single biggest purchase made during their lifetime.[1] As a result, it's important to do everything possible to keep it in good condition. Even moderate or short-term neglect can be dangerous, as...

Retirement is inevitable, but knowing exactly when to do so is often unclear. No matter when you actually begin your retirement, you’ll benefit from planning your post-work life as early as possible. According to Gallup, the...

Tips for being proactive in safeguarding your identity and your credit score. Identity theft is a serious crime, with increasingly greater numbers of consumers being affected every year. As part of a protection strategy, the Federal...

In an effort to save money, the Social Security Administration (SSA) stopped mailing annual statements nearly a decade ago. The yearly statements were helpful, as they helped workers estimate their Social Security benefits. Despite...

Identity theft is a growing concern, impacting 14.4 million U.S. Consumers in 2019.1 Armed with your Social Security number, a criminal can use that information to commit tax- and other financial-related crimes in your name. There are...

If you're a small business owner, many of the best practices employed by individual investors are also available to you (of course!), but you also have some additional options and factors to weigh while creating your investment plans....

Identity theft is a growing concern that impacts millions of Americans every year. According to a recent study,1⁠1 more than 14 million Americans fell victim to online theft in 2018, with 23% of those incurring unreimbursed personal...

The COVID pandemic has affected everyone across the nation, from the largest cities to the smallest towns.[1] People are struggling with employment, schooling, and even the ability to buy essentials. In times like these helping your...

Many have heard Social Security retirement benefits referred to as part of the "three-legged stool" of retirement: Social Security, a pension or defined benefit plan, and personal savings.1 The idea is that with these three sources of...

Lifetime income (LTI) strategies, such as target income payout funds or annuities within company-sponsored retirement plans, are designed to help investors plan for and manage their accumulated wealth after retirement. However, these...

Amidst all the pandemic news and 2020 election drama, many might have missed that the IRS also quietly published new 2021 tax rates in late October and a there are plenty of changes that will impact taxpayers in 2021. While it’s...

As days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months, it may feel like there is little time to catch up on all of your financial responsibilities. Sometimes it may be easier to simply toss ATM receipts, credit card bills, and bank...

Tax identity theft is when someone steals your Social Security Number, files a tax return with your number, and directs a refund to their own bank account. In other cases, this type of identity theft may involve a scam artist calling...

Being a doctor comes with a lot of stressors, but planning for taxes should not be one of them. As a doctor, you have been through years of hard work and may be looking for ways to help limit your tax liability and preserve as much of...

If you own a business, you may have spent years dreaming of passing along the business to your children, nieces and nephews, or other family members after you retire. However, transferring a family business—and its ability to...

Amidst all the pandemic news and 2020 election drama, many might have missed that the IRS also quietly published new 2021 tax rates in late October and a there are plenty of changes that will impact taxpayers in 2021. While it’s...

As of 2018, about 58 million Americans had a 401(k), while around one-third of households owned an individual retirement account (IRA).1, 2 Yet for as commonplace as these retirement accounts can be, the nuances of contributions are a...

When you die, what will happen to your retirement plan benefits? In general, your retirement plan benefits pass to the beneficiaries you designate on the plan beneficiary designation form. Your benefits will generally be subject to...

With businesses around the country reducing their in-office staff to essential personnel only—in some cases, literally overnight—many remote workers found themselves setting up a full home office on short to no notice. But...

For today’s business owner, continuation and estate planning go hand-in-hand. Without proper tax strategies, the time, hard work, and money you’ve invested in your business could yield little more than a significant tax...

After months of intense debate, the House and Senate voted to pass a second COVID-19 economic stimulus bill and the President has signed it into law.1 At a total cost of $900 billion, this 5,600-page bill[1] contains everything from...

Tax identity theft is when someone steals your Social Security Number, files a tax return with your number, and directs a refund to their own bank account. In other cases, this type of identity theft may involve a scam artist calling...

2020 has been one of the most unprecedented years in recent history, but some things—like tax contributions and retirement deadlines—don't change much, if at all. And with the uncertainty surrounding just about everything,...

2020 Year End Tax Tips

From pandemic-related stimulus payments to job losses and furloughs, for many taxpayers, next spring's tax season may be more complex than usual. With the end of 2020 rapidly approaching, you should take some time to review your tax...

On Election Day 2020, California voters narrowly approved Proposition 19 (“Prop 19”), a constitutional amendment designed to change the way that tax assessments can be transferred. Although the amendment covered many...

Q4 Newsletter

Want to be your own boss? Ready to turn your hobby into a career? Got a great idea and thinking about launching a business? If you've answered yes to any of these questions, you are ready to become an entrepreneur. This can be an...

Charitable giving is a way for affluent individuals spread their money around and to benefit causes that are near and dear to their hearts. Yet, for those who fall into the high net worth category, it is critical to structure...

As the U.S. presidential election draws near, expect to see more and more headlines that propose, "What will happen next if this person is elected?" or, "What policy changes to prepare for in the next four years?"In reality, however,...

When training to become a financial professional, much of our course work centers on the six critical areas of creating a financial strategy. Some recognize October as Financial Planning Month, so it's an excellent opportunity to...

Q3 Newsletter

As the U.S. presidential election draws near, expect to see more and more headlines that propose, "What will happen next if this person is elected?" or, "What policy changes to prepare for in the next four years?"In reality, however,...

Due to COVID-19, Americans are spending more time at home than ever before, leading to a record amount of spending on home improvement.1It’s not that big of a surprise since many Americans now find their homes are doing triple...

A U.S. drug company recently said that it’s in late-stage trials for its coronavirus vaccine and reported that it could be given to Americans as early as the end of the year.1Great news. But it seems like every few days...

Are you one of the many retirement account holders who took a mandatory distribution this year? If so, you may be able to manage the taxes associated with Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from traditional IRAs and 401(k)s. There...

This month, many universities and colleges are welcoming students back to campus, even if most campuses are largely online this year.But that's not all that's different. The current administration has issued an executive memorandum...

With the economy and financial markets flashing mixed signals, it’s no wonder that lawmakers are deadlocked on whether to pass a Phase 4 of the CARES Act.More than $3 trillion in stimulus has been pushed into the economy since...

Cares Act for Retirement Cares Act for Individuals

Q2 Newsletter

An “eye-popping” $2 trillion in cash has been stashed in deposit accounts at U.S. banks since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the country in January.1This surge of money into banks has no precedent in history.Several...

Are you eligible for a stimulus check from the Treasury Department?As of Friday, April 24, the Internal Revenue Service said it had issued 88 million payments to individuals across the country. It plans to send out more than 150...