News & Updates
Financial Conflict Between Couples
Strategists who work with couples have found there to be a few conflicts that are most common between them. Different priorities: financial management done predominately by one partner, helping adult children, and disagreements over an
What Happens?
We’ve been asked a few questions regarding what happens to those portions of your estate that aren’t treated consistently with what you say in your will. Many people assume wills and trusts are the pillars
Roth IRA Vs Traditional IRA
Having just taken a look at your traditional IRA, you may be wondering if the time is now to convert it to a Roth IRA. Choosing between a Roth and a traditional IRA requires you
It’s That Time of Year
It’s usually around this time of year, when individuals are preparing paperwork for filing their tax returns, that we are asked what the deadlines for contributions are, and what happens if one spouse is non-working
The Busyness of Life
What does retirement really, truly mean? What are your plans for after you retire? We’ve been thinking about this recently. Many would define it as “retreating from the ‘busyness’ of life.” When do you plan
Bridge the Gap
We’ve heard many times that it’s a good idea for retirees to put off receiving Social Security payments, as waiting can allow you to get more out of them than if you were to start
Stay Active During Retirement
Retirement is a new beginning. As a new retiree, you enter a new stage of your life, where your time is now regulated by you and you alone, rather than revolving around your work. Unfortunately,
Money in College Savings Accounts Can Instead Be Put Towards Retirement
Starting in 2024, due to the Secure Act 2.0, up to $35,000 of the money in a 529 college savings account to be rolled over to a Roth IRA for the beneficiary of the 529
Seven Different Ways
We thought we’d bring to your attention an article recently published by AARP that discusses seven different ways retirement income will be different this year: “For most people, retirement finance is a delicate balance between
A Sudden Influx of Cash?
Annuities are one way to leverage a sudden influx of cash that may or may not have been expected, such as a bonus, inheritance, or sale of a small asset you had never factored into
Retirement With $5 Million
There was a recent report from the Employee Benefit Research Institute on an analysis of retirement accounts using the 2018 Survey of Consumer Finances. According to the analysis, a $5 million retirement nest egg puts
New Law For 2024
If you own a small business or family office you could be required to report ownership details to the federal government… or face stiff penalties and possible jail time. The Corporate Transparency Act went into
Estate Planning
We all know that complex estates require sophisticated estate planning. If you have a large estate or own a business, only a qualified estate-planning attorney will have the knowledge and expertise to tailor to your
Gifts That Keep Giving
The younger a child is when you contribute to their 529 plan, the longer the account has to potentially benefit from compound growth. In 2023, individuals can contribute up to $17,000 per year (and couples
Pre or Post-Retirement?
Most of us think of life insurance as a way to help the people who depend on us financially, or even just to help pay the debts we may have left for our end-of-life care,
Types of Annuities: A Rundown
We’ve been asked what a variable annuity and a fixed annuity are. What are the differences between them? Essentially: A variable annuity’s value is based on the performance of a portfolio of sub-accounts; it offers
Don’t Take the Bait
In 2022, social media-based scams cost Americans a total of $1.23 billion, a 54% increase since 2021, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Typically, these sorts of scams start with someone claiming to be a
Paying For Medicare
Friends and colleagues who are approaching 65 are beginning to ask about Medicare benefits. Not just how to sign up, but what to select from among the various choices. The good news is, 94% of
