Despite how we might envision it, retirement is less of a single moment, and more of a multi-year transition. It’s also certainly more than simply an age or dollar amount of savings. As you approach the final stretch of your career,...
Read MoreAfter completing their annual tax return, some investors may discover that an excess IRA or Roth IRA contribution took place and needs to be corrected. This can happen for several reasons. Income may have been higher than expected,...
Read MoreIn a world where speed is often celebrated, hurrying has quietly become a cultural norm with surprisingly deep costs. In a recent article from Harvard Business Review, Dr. Kandi Wiens, a senior fellow and burnout expert, highlights how...
Read MoreOften, we as taxpayers simplify our tax deductions as either taking the standard deduction, or itemizing. Yet, for some it’s not quite that simple, and starting this year, things are changing again. Up until 2017, higher-income...
Read MoreFinancial Plan/Investment Strategies Changes happen in a life well-lived. Keeping your financial plan and various investment strategies up-to-date is an important part of staying on the path we created for you. Confirm your investment...
Read MoreAs the crisp air of late November settles in and families gather around tables laden with turkey, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, we’re reminded that Thanksgiving is as much about gratitude and connection as it is about the feast....
Read MoreWhen we think about leaving a legacy, our minds often go first to family memories, values, and traditions. Yet a significant part of legacy may also come through how one prepares financially for those they love. Estate planning ensures...
Read MoreAs with most spending/tax bills that are signed into law, there end up being more questions than answers, with the IRS left to figure out the details. Even so, we are fielding questions from many clients about the impact of this law on...
Read MoreLast time we talked about Coast F.I.R.E, a new-ish retirement concept, which surrounds the age-old question “When can I retire?” But knowing when to retire is just one aspect of the retirement picture. What does retirement look like to...
Read More“When can I retire?” is a common question we receive in our business. How that question is answered can change over time, as new approaches are brought to the fore. For example, you may remember commercials asking you what your...
Read MoreUnfortunately, the question “Is this a scam or not?” is one we increasingly have to ask ourselves these days. The pervasiveness of fake emails, letters, and text messages trying to get our personal information or infect our devices,...
Read MoreUnlike 401(k)s, not all IRA funds are automatically protected from creditors in bankruptcy proceedings. However, up to a certain dollar amount, most IRA funds are protected from the reach of creditors under federal law. Every three...
Read MoreOnce you file your tax return each year, it’s a good idea to start planning for next year’s return. Here are a few things you can look at doing today to help set yourself up for success in tax year 2025. Did you owe more than $1,000 or...
Read MoreWhen it comes to estate planning, many of us think of wills and trusts as the primary tools for passing on assets to heirs. However, Transfer on Death (TOD) and Payable on Death (POD) designations may offer a simple, cost-effective way...
Read MoreFor nearly 50 years, the 401(k) has been the backbone of retirement savings in the U.S., gradually replacing traditional pensions. But only recently has it reached a major milestone—half of private-sector workers are actively...
Read MoreFor most retirees, Social Security benefits are calculated using a single formula, which takes into account an individual’s earnings record and is meant to more greatly benefit those who earn less. Historically, a subset of workers who...
Read MoreOn December 23, 2022, Congress officially passed the SECURE Act 2.0, with the bill signed into law by President Biden eight days later on December 29th. The legislation was aimed at helping Americans better prepare for their financial...
Read MoreAs we approach the end of another year, we thought it would be helpful to provide an updated list of opportunities to hopefully wrap up 2024 on a financial high note. Required Minimum Distributions: For those who are age 73 or older,...
Read MoreAccording to the Social Security Administration, the 72.5 million Americans who receive Social Security benefit and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments will see an increase of 2.50% next year. This is an average increase of...
Read MoreSince the SECURE Act was passed at the end of 2019, we have been waiting for finalized regulations from the IRS clarifying rules specifically around Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from inherited IRAs. At long last, the...
Read MoreLast month, we talked about some practical summer planning ideas: more nuts and bolts. This month, we look at some aspects of the more touchy-feely side of planning. It’s important to remember, money and its accumulation is not an end...
Read MoreLast year we did a two-part blog series on planning ideas that are a good fit for summertime. It was such a hit, we thought we’d update these for the current year! Check Beneficiaries The first one is easy, as it’s always worthwhile to...
Read MoreAccording to the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s latest update to its 30+ year survey of workers and retirees, there is a gap in expected retirement ages vs. actual retirement ages. While the median expected age of retirement was...
Read MoreAccording to a recent survey from Pew Research Center, nearly half of all U.S. workers fail to use all their allotted vacation days. Why? Too much work to do and reluctance to ask their coworkers to cover for them are among the top...
Read MoreIn the ever more complicated world we live in, it can feel like both our mailbox and email inbox are consistently overflowing with new statements, receipts, account change documents/announcements, and so on. Whether you keep important...
Read MoreThe term “estate planning” might call to mind something reserved for the very wealthy who are looking to avoid estate taxes. But estate planning is much more than that: it’s also the process of designating who will receive your assets,...
Read MoreWhile most of the focus this year in planning surrounding education is on provisions of the SECURE Act 2.0 that allow for new flexibility with unused funds in certain education savings accounts, there are six key changes to financial...
Read MoreOn December 23, 2022, Congress officially passed the SECURE (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) 2.0 as part of a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package, with the bill signed into law by President Biden eight days...
Read MoreAs we approach the end of another year, we thought it would be helpful to provide a list of opportunities to hopefully help you end 2023 on a financial high note. Tax Loss Harvesting: For those with taxable investments that have an...
Read MoreAccording to the Social Security Administration, the 71 million Americans who receive Social Security benefit and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments will see an increase of 3.2% next year. This is an average increase of...
Read MoreMany investors are likely to see the recent 5% (or higher) yields in short-term instruments like CDs and Money Market funds as too good to pass up. With interest rates near zero for such an extended period of time, the past 12 months...
Read MoreLast month we talked about some practical summer planning ideas: more nuts and bolts. This month, we look at some aspects of the more touchy-feely side of planning. It’s important to remember, financial planning is not just about...
Read MoreSummer is officially here. While we of course look forward to rest and relaxation during these warmer months, it can also be an ideal time to check on a few important but less urgent planning items. This is especially true if you were...
Read MoreWith the 2nd half of 2023 nearly upon us, we take a quick look ahead at some important upcoming dates for which to prepare.September 15th: Estimated Tax Payments for the 3rd quarter are due for the self-employed or those who do not...
Read MoreIf you have a certificate of deposit (CD) that is maturing soon, it’s time to make a decision. Your CD has been collecting interest for months or years, helping you to get closer to your financial goals. Now you need to decide whether...
Read MoreLast month, we reviewed 529 College Savings plans, why people use them, and how the use of funds has expanded over the last few years.This month, we’ll review options for unused savings in order to minimize taxation or penalty on...
Read MoreMost people have heard of 529 College Savings plans and understand their value in relation to saving money for future higher education for young family member. What some may not know is that the qualifying use of these dollars as well...
Read MoreDo you have 529 college savings funds that may go unused by their intended beneficiary? Your first option is to provide the money to another beneficiary. However, if you don’t have an alternate beneficiary to whom you want to transfer...
Read MoreIn late 2022, the SECURE Act 2.0, a bill three years in the making, was signed into law. While there are several provisions in this bi-partisan-supported bill, we’ll highlight just a few that may be particularly interesting with...
Read MoreAs we wrap up another year, let’s look ahead to the first half of 2023. Here is a short list of some important upcoming dates to watch for. January 1stThe first of the year is when cost-of-living increases are effective for Social...
Read MoreAs we approach the end of another year, a year that has been challenging on many fronts, we thought it would be helpful to provide a list of opportunities that could end 2022 on a positive note.Roth IRA Conversions: When market values...
Read MoreThe Social Security Administration has announced the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2023. Based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) from the third quarter of 2021 through the third quarter of 2022, recipients of Social Security...
Read MoreTraffic jams are unwelcome nuisances. Unless we know the cause and what every other driver on the road is going to do at any given time (which is of course impossible), we can’t know the right route to get to our destination quickly...
Read MoreESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) investing involves a set of characteristics used to evaluate potential investments, and their impact on society at-large. These factors generally include how a company cares for and impacts the...
Read MoreWith the significant increase in property values in many areas of the U.S., if you own a home, now may be a good time to review your homeowner’s insurance policy. Why? Well first off, one in twenty insured homes has a claim each year,...
Read MoreIf you missed last month’s Digital Assets Part I, take a quick read as to why we should be concerned about this area.As we shared in our last post, Digital Assets can include information stored on an individual’s digital devices...
Read MoreThis is first part of an updated series on Digital Assets, which we hope will be helpful as the things we purchase and memories we store are more and more intertwined with technology.Part I: What is a Digital Asset, and Why Should I...
Read MoreLegacy can be a subjective, even philosophical topic. What should be handed down to the next generation and how should a person or family be remembered? When it comes to financial legacy, often a critical part of the definition...
Read MoreOnce you file your tax return each year, it’s a good idea to start planning for next year’s return. Here are a few things you can look at doing today to help set yourself up for success in tax year 2022. Did you owe more than $1,000 or...
Read MoreDepending on your tax situation, your investment and tax advisors may have suggested looking at converting some of your Traditional IRA assets to a Roth IRA. Potential benefits of a Roth conversion include tax-free growth and no...
Read MoreEach January many people reflect on the past year and set new goals for the next 12 months and beyond. When it comes to retirement, a “bucket list” is a common reference to checking off a list of activities in which you want to...
Read MoreThis is the time of year for festive gatherings and generosity. It’s also the time of year when we get a glimpse of expected financial changes for 2022. Contribution limits for some retirement accounts will be increasing in 2022. We...
Read MoreAs we approach the end of each year, giving is often our minds. However, with close to 90% of US taxpayers now taking the standard deduction on their tax return, is there still also a financial incentive to give to charity? Good news:...
Read MorePublic Service Student Loan Forgiveness While we wait for possible tax changes coming from Washington, one temporary modification already in place is the expansion of eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. On...
Read MoreAs we approach the cooler months, it is likely an important time to check in on your parents and aging relatives regarding their physical and financial health, to ensure they were not derailed by last year’s events. Financial...
Read MoreWe continue our two-part series mid-year planning opportunities. Last month, we covered reviewing retirement plan contributions and the new enhanced child tax credit. Manage assets in light of potential tax changes There have been many...
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