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Tips for Your Year-End Financial Planning Review
Make your annual review more efficient and productive to improve next year When you work with a financial professional, then you know how important the year-end review is to the financial planning process. And given that you should be...
Read More7 Estate Planning Topics to Discuss with the Family over Thanksgiving Dinner
One of the more difficult conversations for family members to have is talking about estate planning. There are several reasons for this, including the reality of our own mortality and that of our loved ones. In some families, it is an...
Read MoreNavigating the 4 Phases of Retirement
Retirement seems like a long way off, but it arrives faster than you think. The big question is, are you ready? What exactly does retirement entail? Analysts suggest there are four designated phases of retirement that a person often...
Read More7 Changes to the FAFSA and How They Could Impact You
Deciding on which college to attend is an exciting time. Still, it can also be stressful. The Department of Education has been working to simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application process with a few...
Read MoreRegain Confidence and Restore Your Retirement
Sectors hit include air travel, insurance, oil production and entertainment The path to retirement can often seem daunting, with the end goal appearing distant and difficult to reach. This sentiment has only grown in recent years, as...
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5 Must-Have Items for Your Financial First Aid Kit
Every year, around 3 million Americans are required to evacuate their homes due to a natural disaster.1 What's more, this figure does not include the millions of other individuals who are temporarily displaced as a result of fire,...
Read MoreFour Financial Planning Essentials to Ease Your Retirement Fears
When it comes to planning for retirement, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Putting together a financial strategy can be complicated at any time of life, what with changing regulations, ups and downs in the market, and disagreements...
Read MoreSmall-business Owners and the Value of Insurance in Your Financial Plan
A solid financial plan for small businesses is vital, and part of that financial plan should be insurance. Insurance is essential to preserve small businesses, cover their assets, and safeguard their employees. Here are some types of...
Read MoreDon't Let Your Retirement Savings Goal Get You Down
As a retirement savings plan participant, you know that setting an accumulation goal is an important part of your overall strategy. In fact, over decades of conducting its annual Retirement Confidence Survey, the Employee Benefit...
Read MoreHigh Net-Worth Individuals: Are You Missing Opportunities in Your Financial Planning?
High Net-Worth executives and those that have been self-employed, can experience common problems in their financial planning journey. Often, they have missed opportunities in their financial planning because they haven’t planned...
Read MoreThe Pros and Cons of Investing in Permanent Life Insurance
Investing in life insurance may not be the first option that comes to mind for people when deciding where to put their money. However, it is one that, for some people, could be a beneficial strategy for diversifying their portfolio as...
Read More5 Homeowner Estate Planning Tips to Consider
Estate planning helps disperse your assets according to your wishes. The effort may seem daunting at first, but estate planning does not have to be overly complicated. With the proper planning, you may find yourself resting a little easier
Read More529 Plans: The Ins and Outs of Contributions and Withdrawals
529 plans can be powerful college savings tools, but you need to understand how your plan works before you can take full advantage of it. Among other things, this means becoming familiar with the finer points of contributions and...
Read More3 Tips for Preserving Wealth in Your Golden Years
After spending so much of your life saving for retirement, it may be challenging to transition from depositing funds to withdrawing them. You may wonder whether there is any way to maintain your lifestyle and preserve your wealth to...
Read MoreFrom Riches To Rags In Three Generations: Managing Generational Wealth Checklist
When discussing multigenerational wealth it is common to come across proverbs that acknowledge the fact that generational wealth typically won’t make it past the third generation. In the United States the saying goes, “from...
Read MoreUnderstanding Social Security
Approximately 70 million people today receive some form of Social Security benefits, including retirement, disability, survivor, and family benefits.1 Although most people receiving Social Security are retired, you and your family...
Read More6 Essential Tips for Retirement Planning
Retirement planning is all about the future, your future. Whether you are classified as a millennial, Gen Xers, women, or you are in your 40s-50s, retirement planning is a must. The key to successful retirement planning is starting...
Read MoreSectors to Consider if Inflation Continues to Rise
The beaten-down sectors from 2022 might be worth another look in 2023 In general terms, the bond market will rally when increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) (inflation) are small and the bond market will fall when increases in...
Read More401(k) vs. Life Insurance: Comparing Your Retirement Savings Options
When it comes to saving for retirement, the options can seem endless. From 401(k) plans to IRAs, to Roth IRAs, health savings accounts, even life insurance policies, there are a variety of financial vehicles that allow you to set aside...
Read MoreLiving Trust
What is it?A living trust (also known as a revocable or inter vivos trust) is a separate legal entity that you create to own property, such as your home, boat, or investments. You transfer some or all of your property to the trust as...
Read MoreThe Importance of Financial Wellness
Financial wellness, like physical wellness, isn’t something you should ignore. Instead, it's a critical concept for anyone who wants to be knowledgeable and confident about their finances, and in fact, financial wellness is so...
Read MoreTax Prep Checklist: Everything You Need to Be Ready for Tax Season
Regardless of whether you prepare your taxes yourself or use a professional's services, it's a good idea to gather the information and documentation you need well in advance of your actual tax filing date. Below, we've listed some key...
Read MoreFour Actions to Take if You’re Retiring Next Year
It's common for people who are retiring to set their retirement date in either the springtime or the early summer. If you happen to be one of those lucky folks who are going to retire this year, then "Congratulations!"But before you...
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Read MoreTop Year-End Investment Tips
Just what you need, right? One more time-consuming task to be taken care of between now and the end of the year. But taking a little time out from the holiday chores to make some strategic saving and investing decisions before December...
Read MoreA Year-End Wealth Planning Guide
As we approach the end of the year, you may want to review areas that may impact your wealth and estate planning next year. In this year-end planning guide, we examine four critical areas to consider that may affect your finances:...
Read MoreDon’t Believe That This Bear is Different – It’s Not
Bull markets happen. Bear markets happen. Just stick to your financial plan, and stay calm and disciplined. When the market sours or slumps, don’t believe talk that this bear it is different. It is not.History shows this is true....
Read MoreMarket Perspective
The S&P has fallen 21% from December 31st, 2021, through Friday, October 21st, 2022. At first glance that decline is troubling. However, let’s look at some perspective on this. Over the past 5 years, the S&P has grown from 2569...
Read MoreHow Estate Planning Can Help Prepare for Long Term Care
The cost of long-term care can vary widely based on location (both city and state) and level of care needed. However, one thing is for certain: with 7 in every 10 people requiring long-term care at some point, preparing for this...
Read MoreRetirement Contribution Limit Changes for 2022
With inflation on the rise, the IRS increased the 2022 contribution limits for some retirement accounts. Although a 2021 Congressional report found that only about 8.5% of defined benefit plan participants and 4.7% of individual...
Read More3 Ways To Improve Your Finances for Self-Improvement Month
September is self-improvement month and a great time to work on your financial health. When you think of self-improvement, you likely think of your health or career but may pay little attention to your finances. Getting your financial...
Read More5 Ways to Improve Your Financial Awareness
Regardless of what you do or how much you earn, you deal with money on a daily basis. The more you understand about finances, the more effectively you will be able to manage yours.Yet, many people lack financial literacy skills. One...
Read MoreStaying on Track with Your Retirement Investments
Investing for your retirement isn't about getting rich quick. More often, it's about having a game plan that you can live with over a long time. You wouldn't expect to be able to play the piano without learning the basics and...
Read MoreMid-Year Outlook 2022: Navigating Turbulence
Markets rarely give us clear skies, and there are always threats to watch for on the horizon, but the right preparation, context, and support can help us navigate anything that may lie ahead. So far, this year hasn’t seen a...
Read More5 Financial Facts About the Sandwich Generation
The "sandwich generation" is the descriptive term for adults generally between the ages of 40 and 59 who are raising a minor child (or supporting a grown child) while also caring for a retirement-age or older parent. With financial...
Read MoreSocial Wellness: What is It and Why is it Important?
Social wellness refers to the relationships you have and how you interact with others. It involves building and maintaining positive, supportive relationships and fostering meaningful connections.If you prioritize becoming socially...
Read MoreThe Road Home: A Homebuyer's Guide to Financial Planning
If you're getting ready to buy a home, there are a few key steps you can take to prepare your finances for this major lifestyle shift. Here we discuss three things you can do to make the transition to homeownership as smooth as...
Read MoreFatherly Advice: 7 Timeless Financial Tips Our Fathers Taught Us
Although many things have changed in the financial world over the past 20 years, some nuggets of financial advice are timeless. Here are a few tips that have remained constant for several generations.Always Spend Less Than You...
Read MoreA Small-Business Owner’s Guide To Investing in Stocks
If you own a business and want to diversify your assets by investing in stocks, today’s online brokerages make trading fairly easy. However, stock investing is risky, especially in a volatile market. Here are four key...
Read MoreThe Financial Impact of Mental Health
Mental health is essential to everyone’s wellbeing. Mental health disorders, diagnosed or not, may be playing a role in your daily life. Often, financial problems or worries may impact your mental wellbeing, especially if...
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