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Monday, May 4, 2026

We just bought a new car (unfortunately… or maybe annoyingly… or reluctantly). Either way, my wife is happy, so I’m happy. 🚗🚗🚗 When we bought our car, a lot of planning went into it. 🤓 Normally, I prefer to buy a used car that’s...

Thursday, April 16, 2026

2026 Tax UpdatesApril 15th, tax day, has come and gone. Great! Now what? You do not want to wait until next April 15th to think about this year’s taxes.Exploring and implementing tax strategies should be an ongoing process.Every year,...

Friday, March 27, 2026

I recently had a great conversation with someone who asked a timely question, “Should we be adding Artificial Intelligence (AI) stocks to our investment accounts?”It’s a fair question, especially after the strong run AI-related...

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Over the past several days, we’ve seen a wave of commentary, hot takes, and speculation surrounding the evolving situation between the United States and Iran.We expect the developments of the conflict to be dynamic and to continue to...

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act extends the 2017 tax cuts, making some rules permanent. The bill also creates several new tax laws for individuals while addressing other tax issues for businesses. It might be a good time to check with...

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Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Did you get one of these emails from the CalSavers Retirement Savings Program? It is not Spam If you re a business owner with at least one employee in California, you need to take action. So what should you do? #1. If you DO HAVE a...

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Social Security beneficiaries will see a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2026 — an increase that adds about $56 a month on average to retirement benefits. 1 While the adjustment helps payments keep pace with inflation, it’s...

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

When the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act was passed on July 4, the legislation left several unanswered questions that the IRS is now addressing. The IRS undergoes this process every year, but this time around, the OBBB has added to...

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

When the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act was passed on July 4, the legislation left several unanswered questions that the IRS is now addressing. The IRS undergoes this process every year, but this time around, the OBBB has added to...

Wednesday, September 3, 2025

On July 4, the One Big Beautiful Bill was signed into law at a White House ceremony. This domestic policy bill extends the 2017 tax cuts set to expire this year, making some of those rules permanent. The bill also creates several new...

Thursday, July 17, 2025

If you are a retiree or are planning for retirement, the new tax law will affect your income, cash flow, and the amount you pay in taxes. When President Trump took office, he said he would make sweeping reforms and tax changes. There...

Wednesday, April 30, 2025

If you feel like the market has gone down, and up, and down, and up again, you're not alone. I’d be lying if I said at times that I wasn’t anxious, too. We talk about it a lot, markets are volatile, headlines are unnerving, and the...

Friday, April 4, 2025

I’m sure you have seen that tariffs have been announced and the markets are reacting. 1 I’m also confident in knowing a lot of the clients I work with are already seasoned and, through mutual work, have become disciplined investors. We...

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in December 2024, adjusts two longstanding provisions that previously reduced Social Security benefits for certain recipients: the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the...

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

We’re often asked a question along the lines of, “Doesn’t China own all of the U.S. debt?” That’s a fair question, but it turns out that no, China does not own all our debt. In fact, relatively speaking, China owns very little. This...

Monday, March 3, 2025

One of the last bills Biden signed into law was the Social Security Fairness Act[1]. This essentially took away the rule that said you can’t collect both a publicly funded Social Security Income check and a publicly funded pension....

Thursday, February 13, 2025

There has been a flood of the wave of attention-grabbing headlines lately. It's hard to miss news about Big Tech, tariffs, and contradictory opinions on how the economy is going to do. Even some of the smartest clients we work with,...

Thursday, December 5, 2024

Hey, what’s the market going to do next year?How’s the economy going to look?Are we really that up in our account?Weren’t we supposed to have a recession? All great questions that we fielded in the fall stretch. I hear the quote...

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

The Internal Revenue Service released the updated income tax brackets, standard deduction, and retirement contribution limits for the 2025 tax year. While these changes won’t impact you for some time, it may benefit you to start...

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

In a recent survey, 75% of current workers stated they plan to work for pay after retiring.1 And that possibility raises an interesting question: how will working affect Social Security benefits? The answer to that question requires...

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

It was a Sunday morning when I woke up, looked outside as we were getting ready for church, and saw tons of smoke on the horizon. It turned the sun a hew of red. At one point, I looked at the Cal Fire Incidents map and saw that a...

Thursday, September 19, 2024

The Fed cut rates by 0.50%... what's next? We saw markets suggest there was about a 50/50 chance that the Federal Reserve would cut rates between 0.25%-0.50%. As it turns out, we got a 0.50% cut, so not too shocking. But what does that...

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Taxpayers and businesses spend an estimated 6.5 billion hours a year complying with tax-filing requirements, which is worth $364 billion in economic value just to comply with tax regulations.1 As complex as the details of taxes can be,...

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Isaac Newton is who said, “An object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion at constant speed and in a straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force.” But does this also apply to the...

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

I've been talking about trusts, Wills, and Power of Attorney Documents with a lot of clients lately. Usually, a Power of Attorney (POA) document is drafted up and provided to you with the trust and estate strategy package. Not always,...

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

I has a great call with a client. They wanted to know if it would be a good idea to cash out their IRAs and just pay off their mortgage. In short, the answer was no. The implications are much more complicated though.

Friday, April 19, 2024

The ultimate goal of what I’m going to try and convey in this email is: A well-thought-out financial plan, with an investment strategy designed to weather several market scenarios, paired with diversification and academically-based,...

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

There are a lot of important numbers that we try to keep in our heads during tax time. Understandingly, it's a bit much. 🤓 We have a Tax Cheat Sheet to help. During tax time, we try to remember: 📍Tax rates,...

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Pull out a Post-it or sheet of paper. On it you're going to write down a couple numbers. First, write how you think the S&P 500 will do this year if a Democrat wins the Presidential Election. Now right down how you think the market...

Thursday, February 8, 2024

The S&P has been hitting all-time highs... again. It's now safe to say that the bear market is over for now.  The S&P has clawed back to its post-covid peak, which is even higher than the 2019 run-up. Once the S&P 500 hit the high...

Thursday, January 11, 2024

Filling taxes can be painful. 😟 That's why we recommend working with great accountants. 👉If you don't have a great accountant or would like to interview a new option, let me know and I can connect you to...

Friday, December 29, 2023

 As we are all busy planning our New Year’s Resolutions, here are three resources you can use to plan for retirement in 2024.   Updated Tax figures for 2024 including Medicare Premiums, IRMAA limits, and Federal Tax...

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

In the beginning of 2023, it seemed like every analyst, economist, and market commentator was predicting a recession. Well, this far it looks like they were all wrong in 2023. But who could blame them? Not many were predicting double...

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

The Internal Revenue Service recently released updated income tax brackets, standard deduction, and retirement contribution limits for the 2024 tax year. While these taxes are not due for some time, it may benefit you to start thinking...

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

IRS just announced the 2024 tax rate increases. This lowers taxes for 2024, but are a temporary relief before tax rates increase after another 2 years.     It’s been said that “the tax code is written in...

Thursday, November 9, 2023

I wanted to provide three tools you can use for year-end planning. I’ve been getting some questions from folks asking how they should plan for year-end. Should I change healthcare plans? Should I adjust paystub tax withholding?...

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

I’ve been getting some questions from folks asking if they should change their Medicare coverage before the year is over. That’s a great question, and the answer is maybe. Now I'm aware, some people really like their...

Friday, August 11, 2023

I had an interesting conversation recently about someone cosigning a loan. Is it a good idea for a parent or grandparent to cosign a loan?It's an act of one way to show love.It's a way to help families try to get ahead.We trust the...

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Sometimes, a picture is worth 1,000 words. So I decided to include an image of the June Consumer Price Index (CPI) report to help put inflation in better perspective:Core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose just 0...

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

Last year, when the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement 2.0 Act of 2022 ("Secure Act 2.0") was passed, congress made changes to retirement plan catch-up contributions. 1Starting on January 1, 2024, when a retirement...

Tuesday, June 13, 2023

The fires in Canada were awful.But it seems like I can remember awful fires here at home every year too.Nobody expects the wildfires to reach their home. But it often takes events, like huge fires in a neighboring country, to raise...

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Your taxes have been filed, and when you check the mail, you see "the letter". The one piece of mail that makes your heart pause, hairs curl, and sweat come down. You got a letter from the IRS.Surely, this letter can throw even the...

Thursday, May 11, 2023

I wanted to take a moment to update you on the potential changes to Social Security benefits for 2024. As I'm sure you know, the Social Security Administration calculates annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) based on the Consumer...

Thursday, March 16, 2023

I don't talk about FDIC insurance a lot.Why not? This just to allows you to withdraw your own money from a bank if it goes under.Is FDIC insurance needed? Well, yeah it's good to have.But, and here's a big BUT, our partner Trust...

Thursday, February 9, 2023

We love talking about taxes here. As financial planners, we think taxes are integral to everything in our financial lives: taxes affects cash flow, taxes create frustration, and taxes never go away.Taxes are one of the 5 uses of...

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Some big changes to 401k plans were announced recently. We wanted to take a moment and send you a quick note that we are aware of, and are working through, the changes that were announced as part of the Secure Act 2.0 which may...

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

A note before you read: This page was posted in early January. Note that as time passes the IRS and congress may make changes to rules, which could positively, or negatively, affect financial plans. As a service-first firm, we work...

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

Just before Christmas, Congress decided to fund the government. As part of the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package that was passed, the Secure Act 2.0 was tacked on. This is an update on the 2019 bill, Setting Every Community...

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

I have been taking some time talking about the uses of money, and the importance of understanding how each use of money affects the other. Again, the uses of money are Earn, Live, Give, Owe taxes, Owe debt, and Grow.To highlight...

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

The IRS recently announced how much savers are allowed to put into retirement accounts for the year 2023. When we refer to retirement accounts, that means 401(k)'s, 403B plans for no-profit workers, TSP for federal employees, IRS's,...

Friday, October 28, 2022

Giving stems from the desire in your heart.   I’ve been lucky enough to work with many charitably minded clients. Through their wisdom and what I have learned from my own walk, I have discovered that giving should be an...

Friday, October 21, 2022

As you probably had heard, Social Security announced the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2023. We recently received updates on a decrease in Medicare Part B premiums for 2023 as well.  While both of these updates are quite...

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

When you break it down, there are only 5 things you can do with money. Finding a balance of these uses, regardless of age or stage of life, is what brings financial contentment.Uses of money:You can Earn inYou...

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Not your average estate planning recommendation!Did you know when you die, Apple (and Google/Android/whatever) won't give anyone access to your data?  That includes:Text messagesPictures on your phoneAccess to your home alarm...

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Not everyone send in estimated tax payments.  Normally your tax advisor will help determine if you tax withholdings from income are enough, or if you should be sending the IRS quarterly withholdings. You may have to make...

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

There are a lot of people asking about I Bonds right now. With inflation pushing over 8%, an interest rate for the I Bond will rise to nearly 10% in May. Being backed by the US Government, savings bonds offer a guaranteed return,...

Monday, May 9, 2022

Friday, April 22, 2022

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Friday, January 28, 2022

Friday, January 14, 2022

Monday, December 6, 2021

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

CNBC’s Mad Money host Jim Cramer created the popular FAANG acronym to denote some of the largest, most powerful companies in the world: Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google. Recently, changes in those companies are...

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

The long waited Infrastructure Bill has finally been signed by President Joe Biden. There's a lot that this bill covers. At the White House on Monday, President Biden signed a $1T bipartisan infrastructure bill set to enable...

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Over the last two years, we have leaned a lot of financial lessons including: We pay attention when taxes go up If price of toilet paper is increased, we'll still pay it Emergency Funds are so, so important This weeks article is to...

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Information vs. instinct. When it comes to investing, many people believe they have a “knack” for choosing good investments. But what exactly is that “knack” based on? The fact is, the choices we make with our...

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Most portfolios are constructed based on an individual's investment objective, risk tolerance, and time horizon. Using these inputs and sophisticated portfolio-optimization calculations, most investors can feel confident that they own...

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

The Economic Report of the President can help identify the forces driving — or dragging — the economy. In January, the White House released its 533-page book, “Economic Report of the President (2021).” If you...

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Some people wonder if Social Security will remain financially sound enough to pay the benefits they are owed. For most Americans, Social Security has represented nothing more than some unavoidable payroll deduction with the positively...

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

There are things about Social Security that might surprise you. Social Security’s been a fact of retirement life ever since it was established in 1935. We all think we know how it works, but how much do you really know? Here are...

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Calculating your potential Social Security benefit is a three-step process. Next to “When should I claim Social Security benefits?”, one of the more common questions people have is “How much will I receive?”...

Monday, October 19, 2020

Federal estate taxes have been a source of funding for the federal government almost since the U.S. was founded. Tip: Regardless of your net worth, it’s critical to understand your choices when developing an estate strategy. In...

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Learn how to build a socially conscious investment portfolio and invest in your beliefs. READ TIME: 3 MIN Investing for Impact Many investors are looking to build a portfolio that reflects their socially responsible values, while...

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Today, I want re-share important FAFSA information that was posted on our October 2019 blog, FAFSA for College Financial Aid and Financial Aid For Students 101. Every we, we realize how daunting the Financial Aid for Students can be,...

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

A company's profits can be reinvested or paid out to the company’s shareholders as “dividends." When interest rates reach historic lows, some investors turn to dividend-yielding stocks when in search of income-generating...

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Among stock-market investors there’s long been a debate between those who favor value and those who favor growth. Looking at their recent track records doesn’t do much to settle the debate. Over the past decade, as a whole...

Friday, November 22, 2019

MIT ran a study that found people think of retirement differently. Which makes sense. Here is what they found. The MIT AgeLab was created to "invent new ideas and creatively translate technologies into practical solutions that improve...

Monday, November 18, 2019

401k plans are not helping Americans save enough for retirement. These researchers found four major shortcomings. When reviewing the four outlined observations from the Boston College paper, we see many of these shortcoming can be...

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The IRS just increased the estate and gift tax starting in 2020. Though the TCJA is set to sunset in 2025, everyone should consider what would happen to their money when they are no longer the stewards of it. Regardless of your net...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Today, the IRS announced that employees in 401(k) plans will be able to contribute up to $19,500 next year. Also announced that Roth & IRA contributions allowed in 2020 are $6,000. A highlight of the changes: 2019 2020 IRA...

Friday, October 11, 2019

It’s FAFSA time! As your student prepares for college, they can now fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, for the upcoming school year. Even if your student won’t require help from the government,...

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

The FAFSA is the single-most important form you need in order to secure financial aid Luckily, with a little preparation, you may be able to make applying for financial aid painless and stress free. Read on to learn more. Preparing for...

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Considering the Qualified Charitable Distribution From the year you turn 70 ½, you will be submit to the Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) rules. As part of our ongoing services provided to clients, we attempt to assist with...

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

California has adopted a state run retirement savings plan, known as “CalSavers”. Starting as soon as next year, California now requires employers who don’t already offer a qualifying employer-sponsored retirement...

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Understanding how a stock works is key to understanding your investments.

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Understanding economic cycles can help put current business conditions in better perspective. What has upswings and downturns, troughs, peaks, and plateaus? Though such terms could easily describe a roller coaster ride, in fact they...

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Longer, healthier living can put greater stress on retirement assets -- the bucket approach may be one answer. The baby boomers have re-defined everything they’ve touched, from music to marriage to parenting and, more lately, to...

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Here is an infographic showing the The History of Retirement. Right now there may be changes looming that will need to be added to notable history.

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

A brief history of where currency has been and where it is going.

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Before you purchase your credit score understand that the methodology used to calculate the score you buy is different from that used to determine the credit score lenders receive. The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003...

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Some people may want a more advanced gifting strategy that can maximize their gift and generate potential tax benefits. According to Giving USA 2017, Americans gave an estimated $390.05 billion to charity in 2016. That’s the...

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help you reduce health-related expenses... and avoid time in the recovery room. People save for a variety of things in retirement. Some dream of vacation homes in tropical destinations, others plan...

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

A quick look at how federal income taxes work. The Internal Revenue Service estimates that taxpayers and businesses spend 8.1 billion hours a year complying with tax-filing requirements. To put this into perspective, if all this work...

Thursday, April 11, 2019

Many Americans are operating their personal finances with only the barest minimum of knowledge. Imagine driving a car without a basic understanding of the rules of the road, or even how to operate it. Scary thought. Yet many Americans...

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

International funds invest in non-U.S. markets, while global funds may invest in U.S. stocks alongside non-U.S. stocks. With international stock markets comprising nearly two-thirds of the world’s capitalization, a broad range...

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Emotional biases can adversely impact financial decision making. Here are few to be mindful of. One of the most well-known investors of the 20th Century, Benjamin Graham, said that “the investor’s chief problem—and...

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

When your child has income, there’s a good chance that he or she will need to report it and pay taxes. As parents, we encourage our children to work so they can learn important values about work and independence. At what point,...

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Tip: Fund Flows. In January 2017, investors added $10 billion to mutual funds, a significant shift from the $56 billion they had taken out of mutual funds the month before.Source: Investment Company Institute, 2017 According to Yale...

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

This modern twist on the Ben Franklin maxim reflects the multiplicity of taxes to which earnings are subject in today’s world.¹ Finding ways to manage expenses is one of the cornerstones of a sound financial strategy. Here...

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

How literate are you when it comes to your finances? Brush up with these five basics. Check Here The Five Basics of Financial Literacy

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Tip: Public Costs. Average in–state tuition and fees for public four-year institutions was $9,970 for the 2017-2018 school year. Out-of-state tuition for these same institutions averaged $25,620.Source: College Board, 2017 It...

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

If you look up “currency” in Merriam-Webster, you will find it defined as “the money that a country uses” and “the quality or state of being used or accepted by many people.” Recent news stories...

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Business owners who offer a 401(k) have a LEGAL FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY as defined by the Department of Labor. Let us review your 401k and check your personal liability exposure.

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Traveling. Some of us travel a lot, and some of us travel a little. For some of us, traveling is a job. Nearly 63 million people are employed, worldwide, in air travel and related industries.¹ There’s bound to be travel...

Monday, August 27, 2018

The gap between setting goals and achieving them can be difficult to bridge. To enhance the chances of achieving personal goals, reminders and motivation are essential; making a New Year’s resolution is simply not enough. A...

Friday, August 24, 2018

Buying a home is the single largest financial commitment most people ever make. And sorting through mortgages involves a lot of critical choices. One of these is choosing between a fixed- or variable-interest-rate mortgage. True to its...

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Learn a little about worldwide currency in this fun infographic Click the picture below, or follow THIS LINK http://www.iwmfinancial.com/resource-center/money/how-big-is-money

Monday, August 13, 2018

Your most valuable asset is your income. Work with a CFP® professional to make the better decisions. Call us today.

Thursday, July 12, 2018

When you receive some extra money it may be difficult to determine whether you should invest the funds or use them to pay down debt. One financial theory suggests that if your after-tax return on investments is greater than the...

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

As you save money into your 401(k), you might be able to choose whether to direct your funds into a Traditional 401(k) or a Roth 401(k). What is a Roth 401(k)? Check out this article to find out more: What is a Roth 401(k) 1 With a...

Thursday, June 28, 2018

The math is simple, the more you save, the more savings you should have… right? Well that only works if… well… actually save. Two tools that might help you save are by using either a Traditional IRA or Roth IRA....

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

The number one concern clients tell me is “I don’t want to run out of money”. That’s a valid concern. Have you taken a few minutes to make a simple calculation on how long your money can last as you withdrawal...

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Fast Fact: Credit Inquiries. Your FICO score won’t drop by much when you apply for new credit. But if you apply for several new credit cards over a short period, your credit report will reflect the activity. How does your credit...

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Your credit score is simply a statistical estimation of how likely you are to pay your debts and, by extension, how much credit you should have. Everyone is different—everyone has a different history, different experiences. But...

Friday, June 8, 2018

Have you heard that there has been an issue with the Social Security system? I refer to the issue as the “insolvency of social security system” or the “unfunded social security crisis”. This is especially...

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

You’re young, have little in savings and likely have no one yet relying on you financially. So why do you need to think about estate management?¹ Here are four great reasons: Estate Strategies: They're Not Just for the...

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Every year, about 140 million households file their federal tax returns.¹ For many, the process involves digging through shoe boxes or manila folders full of receipts; gathering mortgage, retirement, and investment account...

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Everyone loves a winner. If an investment is successful, most people naturally want to stick with it. But is that the best approach? It may sound counter intuitive, but it may be possible to have too much of a good thing. Over time,...

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

How the gains from the sale of a primary residence are taxed has changed in recent years. If you have recently sold your home, or are considering doing so, you may want to be aware of these new rules. Home Sale If you owned and lived...

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

One survey found that 79% of small business owners expect at least some of their retirement income to come from tax-advantaged retirement savings accounts.¹ If you have yet to develop a retirement plan for your business, or if...

Monday, April 16, 2018

No one wants to see an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) auditor show up at his or her door. The IRS can’t audit every American’s tax return, so it relies on guidelines to select the ones most deserving of its attention. Here...

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Did you know that more than $7.8 trillion in assets are benchmarked to the Standard & Poor’s 500 Composite Index, including $2.2 trillion in index assets?¹ The S&P 500 is ubiquitous—we see it on the TV news, read about...

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties....

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Until early 2018, stocks were enjoying their longest period without a five percent pullback in nearly 90 years.1,2 But in early February, that calm came to a sudden and decisive end, as the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell more...

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Checks. Due to the onslaught of electronic check collection, the Federal Reserve now processes paper checks at just one location nationwide, down from 45 locations in 2003. Source: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,...

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

The average American household with debt owes $132,158. And credit card debt accounts for $15,675 of that.¹ Little wonder that money worries are a major cause of stress. The Link Between Stress and Health Humans have an innate...

Friday, February 9, 2018

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Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Forty-eight percent of Americans do not own any stocks or stock-related investments, such as mutual funds, according to a recent Gallup poll.¹ 48%!!! Individuals may cite different reasons for not investing, but with important...

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

The enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act represents “the most sweeping overhaul of the U.S. tax code in more than 30 years.”1 For millions of Americans and businesses it means an altered financial and investment landscape...

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

WHAT DO YOUR TAXES PAY FOR? Tip: Mid May. If the government had raised taxes enough to cover federal borrowing, we would have had to work until May 10 just to cover the tax bill.Source: FoxNews.com, April 24, 2016 Taxes are one of the...

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Who among us wants to pay the IRS more taxes than we have to?¹ While few may raise their hands, Americans regularly overpay because they fail to take tax deductions for which they are eligible. Let’s take a quick look at the...

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING STUDENT LOAN DEBT If college were a party, then student loans are the hangover. Unfortunately, the “hair of the dog” won't cure this headache, but here are some ideas for managing your student loan...

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

A LOOK AT DIVERSIFICATION Tip: Correlation. To adequately diversify, it’s important to select securities that have a low correlation — that is, securities that don’t tend to track each other’s movements up and...

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Taxes are one of the biggest budget items for most taxpayers, yet many have no idea what they’re getting for their money. In 2016, as in recent years, Americans spent more on taxes than on groceries, clothing, and shelter...

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

By April 15, 2016, 125 million taxpayers had dutifully filed their federal income tax returns.¹ And all of them made decisions about deductions and credits—whether they knew it or not. When you take the time to learn more...

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Whether through inertia or trepidation, investors who put off important investment decisions might consider the admonition offered by motivational speaker Brian Tracy, “Almost any decision is better than no decision at all...

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

A living trust is a popular consideration in many estate strategy conversations, but its appropriateness will depend upon your individual needs and objectives. What is a living trust? A living trust is created while you are alive and...

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Do you have a will? A will enables you to specify who you want to inherit your property and other assets. A will also enables you to name a guardian for your minor children. Do you have healthcare documents in place? Healthcare...

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Financial Documents Joint Ownership Durable Power of Attorney Living Trust What does it do? Enables you to own property jointly with another person Authorizes someone to handle legal and financial decisions if you become incapacitated...

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Each month you settle down to pay bills. You pay your mortgage lender. You pay the electric company. You pay the trash collector. But do you pay yourself? One of the most basic tenets of sound investing involves the simple habit of...

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Maintaining good records is important to help meet your tax and legal obligations. The right record keeping system not only helps satisfy these obligations, but it may save you money and time. Here’s what to consider for your...

Friday, September 22, 2017

Most Americans know the fundamentals of good health: exercise, proper diet, sufficient sleep, regular check-ups, and no smoking or excessive alcohol. Yet, despite this knowledge, changing existing behaviors can be difficult. Look no...

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, productivity losses linked to employees not showing up for work cost employers $226 billion annually, or $1,685 per worker.¹ Business owners and managers understand very...

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn—they’ve all fallen prey to hackers who exposed passwords and other personal information for hundreds of thousands of their users. If you haven’t yet had your password stolen, chances are,...

Monday, September 11, 2017

In the first quarter of 2015, nearly 2,000 small businesses were sold. The median sale price was $200,000, up from $175,000 the year before.¹ As a business owner, ascertaining the value of your business is important for a variety...

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

You may have to make estimated tax payments if you earn income that is not subject to withholding, such as income from self-employment, interest, dividends, alimony, rent, realized investment gains, prizes, and awards. You also may...

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

From 2011 to 2015, the average residential flood claim was more than $43,000.¹ The financial loss that comes with flooding can be devastating. Yet, many Americans are not protected against flood damages, primarily because flooding...

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

The common thread that runs through all small businesses, from professional services to manufacturing, is that a motivated workforce is central to the business’s success. Here are some quick, inexpensive, and potentially...

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Every year the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) releases its list of tax scams, spotlighting the myriad ways that people try to separate you from your money.¹ The 2016 “Dirty Dozen” Identity Theft Using your personal...

Monday, August 14, 2017

Retirement is top-of-mind for professionals everywhere, but that doesn’t always mean they have a savings plan in place. To determine how small business owners are planning for retirement, Manta surveyed 1,960 small business...

Thursday, August 10, 2017

In March 2015, about 679,072 new business had been created in the preceding year.¹ All individuals pursuing the dream of exercising their entrepreneurial muscles, will face the same question, “Which business structure should...

Monday, July 31, 2017

If you live in or have visited a big city, you’ve probably run into street vendors—people who sell everything from hot dogs to umbrellas in carts—on the streets and sidewalks. Many of these entrepreneurs sell...

Monday, July 31, 2017

One of the common threads of a mobile workforce is that many individuals who leave their job are faced with a decision about what to do with their 401(k) account.¹ Individuals have three basic choices with the 401(k) account they...

Monday, July 24, 2017

Short-term capital gains are taxed at ordinary income tax rates, while long-term gains are taxed at a lower rate, based on an individual’s marginal income tax bracket. If you are in the… your long-term capital gains rate...

Monday, July 17, 2017

By any measure, the tax code is huge. According to Commerce Clearing House's Standard Federal Tax Reporter it's up to 74,608 pages in length.¹ And each Monday, the Internal Revenue Service publishes a 20- to 50- page bulletin...

Monday, July 10, 2017

Charles de Gaulle once remarked, “The graveyards are full of indispensable men.”¹ While we know that life goes on regardless of the loss of any “indispensable” person, for a small business, the loss of a...

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Perhaps Bette Davis said it best when she observed, “Old age is no place for sissies.”¹ The challenges seniors have met throughout their lives have made them wiser and stronger, preparing them for the unique challenges...

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

The growth of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has been explosive. In 1998, there were only 29; near the end of 2016, there were 1,700 investing in a wide range of stocks, bonds, and other securities and instruments.¹ At first glance,...